MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION BY THE COMMITTEE ON
CULTURE AND EDUCATION
While the European project, ‘Pathways to Inclusion’, for a better integration of disabled people into
school will be ending in 2012, making education and schooling for every child and teenager
completely accessible is a goal that is yet to be reached. As such, and taking into account the
differences between Member States, which propositions could the European Union implement to
enable a better integration between disabled students and other young people within the school
system?
Submitted by: Beatrice BEZZON, Yasmine CALDARELLA, Francesca CECCHIN, Riccardo Carlo CONTE,
Nicola DAL CHECCO, Francesca DONÀ, Giacomo SALMASO, Alessia ZULIAN.
The European Youth Parliament,
A.
Referring to:
i.
article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which establishes that ‘everyone has the right to
education that should be directed to the full development of the human personality’,
ii.
article 23 of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child, which establishes that ‘States
Parties recognize that a mentally or physically disabled child should enjoy a full and decent life’ and the support
given to them ‘shall be designed to ensure that the disabled child has effective access to and receives education
and training’,
B.
Recognising that mental and physical disability is often a source of discrimination in:
i.
society, because the poverty rate among disabled people is 70% above the average,
ii.
employment, because the unemployment rate among severely disabled people is 24% and among people
with moderate disabilities is 46%, whilst among people not affected by disability it is 9,6%,
iii.
education, because the deschooling rate among people in the age bracket between 16 and 19 years old is
37% for severely disabled people, in comparison to the 17% of people not affected by disability,
C.
Denoting that violent acts committed towards disabled children are 25% higher than violent acts committed
towards children not affected by disability and this phenomenon is confirmed by recent news reported by
newspapers,
D.
Fully aware of the fact that disabled people in Europe are 80 million and therefore they constitute the 16%
of population and that, in the age bracket between 16 and 19 years old:
i.
2,7% of people is affected by severe disability,
ii.
4% of people is affected by moderate disability,
E.
Observing that data concerning under 16 disabled people are inadequate or unreliable and therefore there is
not an appropriate view on the situation of the students affected by disability,
Resolution Booklet IV Regional Session of EYP Italy Rovereto (TN), 8-9 May 2012
8F. Deeply concerned with the presence of special schools assigned to the education of disabled people in some
European Countries such as Austria, Belgium, Bulgary, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Spain,
Sweden, Holland, Polland, Portugal, United Kingdom, Hungary,
G.
Considering that Member States guarantee some supports to disabled students in order to help them in their
educational path, for instance:
i.
the free access to all public transports,
ii.
the provision of technical devices, such as Braille books for deaf students, stairlifts for students affected by
physical disabilities, laptop computers with self-voicing applications for blind students,
iii.
the support of remedial teachers,
iv.
special terms given to disabled students in order to afford school expenses,
H. Taking into consideration the fact that the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
divides disabled students into three categories:
i.
Category A: Students affected by disability due to biological causes,
ii.
Category B: Students with problems in learning and behavioural troubles,
iii.
Category C: Students having difficulties connected to social, economic, cultural and language
disadvantages,
I.
Welcoming the measures adopted by EU to support disabled students, such as: i.
European Social
Fund (ESF)’s funding system, ii. the realization of the project ‘Pathways to Inclusion’, iii. the settlement of
community programs such as ‘Societas’ and ‘Leonardo da Vinci’, iv.
the institution of the European Year of
disabled citizens in 2003;
1.
Thinks it is fundamental for Member States to apply themselves to cut 20% off architectural barriers by
2020 because they are considered much too numerous by 91% of the European population, in order to allow
disabled students to enter public buildings, in particular schools;
2.
Supports Member States in promoting and improving initiatives such as:
a.
meetings with disabled people in schools, to let them explain their experience and sensitize students’
opinion,
b. conversations in classes with psychologists to encourage opinion exchanges and solve possible problems,
c.
competitions on the pattern of the Paralympics, to provide disabled students with the possibility of proving
their abilities;
3.
Advises Member States to establish rehabilitating punishments against people who commit bullying acts
towards people affected by disability, for instance:
a. b.
volunteering activities in associations which help disabled people, support to disabled students in studying and in
doing homework;
Resolution Booklet IV Regional Session of EYP Italy Rovereto (TN), 8-9 May 2012
9
4.
Recommends EU to:
a.
endow the Community with the collection of more precise and exhaustive data, concerning under 16
disabled students and focusing the attention on the schools they attend and their disability degree,
b.
adopt OECD’s classification of disability’s categories,
c.
establish that all Member States grant remedial teachers, technical facilities and financial support to
disabled students;
5.
Proposes to restrict the access to special schools to students affected by severe disabilities or behavioural
troubles who need a customized study programme, favouring the integration in ordinary schools to students
affected by moderate disabilities;
6.
Suggests offering training courses to teachers in order to help them to establish better relationships with
disabled students;
7.
Encourages the collection of funds directed to European projects supporting disabled people, through: a.
sports events,
b.
concerts and charity events,
c. artexhibitions;
8.
Invites to promote the realization of laboratories projects facing the theme of diversity starting from
primary schools, entertaining children while educating them to appreciate and respect the differences among
people;
9.
Thinks it is advisable to set a maximum of two disabled students per class, in order to favour a better
integration of students affected by disability.
Buon pomeriggio a tutti,
meno una settimana al grande evento!!! Per cui vorrei ricordarvi alcune indicazioni (già
inviate in precedente mail) per l'arrivo.
Ogni delegazione arriva con treni a orari diversi:
Mazzotti (Treviso) 13,13
Liceo Cornaro 11,55
Liceo di Erba arrivano il giorno prima
Liceo Flaminio - Conegliano 9,52
Liceo Dante - Trieste 12,15.
Per raggiungere il liceo, vi ricordo che la stazione FS è situata vicino al centro città: usciti dalla
stazione, si percorre corso Rosmini (il lungo viale davanti alla stazione) e in fondo al viale
(circa 700 m) si gira a sinistra e si imbocca Corso Bettini fino a passare davanti al Mart
(Museo di Arte Moderna, già indicato con cartelli fin dalla stazione). Il liceo Rosmini è sul lato
sinistro di corso Bettini, poco dopo il museo.
A piedi sono circa 15 minuti.
Arrivati al LIceo, passate in portineria e o io o qualche mio collega, vi consegneremo dei lunch
tickets da utilizzare presso la mensa del Lia. Da quel momento ogni delegazione può andare
alla mensa tra le 12,30 e le 13,45 (dopo la mensa chiude). Terminato il pranzo Nicola vi darà
indicazioni su dove trovarvi per iniziare i lavori pomeridiani.
La cena, contrariamente a quanto indicato da Nicola, è stata anticipata alle 19,30 per
consentire a tutti di raggiungere Serrada verso le 21.
La partenza la mattina successiva sarà attorno alle 7,30 da Serrada per essere qui a scuola
verso le 8,10 per iniziare la giornata.
Nel corso del pomeriggio dell'8 e della mattina del 9 sarà previsto (come da programma) un
coffee break con un piccolo buffet.
Per il Liceo Flaminio: visto che il vostro gruppo arriva molto presto, se lo desiderate, potete
visitare il Mart (Museo di Arte Moderna) che è di fronte al Liceo ed è aperto dalle 10 alle 20.
L'ingresso, con presentazione di elenchi della scuola, è generalmente gratuito.
Lo stesso vale per il liceo Cornaro, qualora il giorno 9, terminati i lavori, voleste occupare il
tempo prima della partenza alle 19,25.
Per ulteriori informazioni, non esitate a contattarmi.
Buon viaggio a tutti e a martedì prossimo.