Spend extra €10k on each student, urges EU report

EXTRA investment in school buildings and extra teachers will help many countries relaunch their economies in the short term, and is expected to enhance long-term economic perspectives, according to an EU report on education published yesterday.

It also suggests that EU countries need to invest an average extra €10,000 per student to match the funding going into third level education in the United States, where private funding boosts investment.

The draft European Commission report going for approval to EU education ministers today acknowledges the limited resources available to many countries because of the downturn, but points out that education investment is part of the recovery plan in some member states.