L’enseignement initial de l’économie sociale et solidaire: un enjeu stratégique

<p>The nature of economic information and the role of social and economic teaching in secondary education are debated. MEDEF (French employers&rsquo; organization) has developed a number of initiatives concerning the curriculum and teachers to promote the role of companies. Despite its long commitment to education (worker, community and cooperative education), the social and solidarity economy today seems far removed from this ambition of improving the general education of young people. While it has been working closer with higher education to train its professional staff, the social and solidarity economy seems to be more of a subject for discovery than an integral part of the curriculum in secondary education. Creating a synergy among the social and solidarity economy&rsquo;s educational projects (with its values and practices), teachers&rsquo; associations (with their teaching methods) and academic trainers (and their critical analysis) would however create a real continuum of training and learning. Preparing the future for activist members and leaders and not just tomorrow&rsquo;s professional staff is urgently needed. The social and solidarity economy thus faces the challenge of engaging in the educational dialogue with the national education system as it does in the social dialogue with its social partners.</p>