Progress in promoting equality and inclusion is one of the cornerstones of the ERASMUS + programme, especially significant when it comes to vulnerable groups such as the case of immigrants collective, and more specifically children and young immigrants who are immersed in their processes of education and initial professional training. The reality offers worring statistics when it comes to assess immigrant students performance (lower than the figures for national classmates) and drop-out figures (over the national average in all the European countries). Linguistic adaptation is a central issue in the mentioned educational phases, that can contribute to improve not only the academic results but also social inclusion of immigrant students. However, it requires the design of appropriate environments and teachers prepared to meet the challenges that undoubtedly generates multilingualism. And those are the central targets of MULTI-ESKOLA project.

In line with the Paris Declaration, we will implement actions aimed at addressing diversity in education and training (formal and informal , the development of social, civic and intercultural competences and media literacy, as well as fighting discrimination and segregation.

The MULTI-ESKOLA project is submitted under the “Strategic Partnerships for school education”, as according to the ERASMUS + programme guidelines, we must select the primary educational sector targeted. However, it is important to emphasize that the project targets are mainly children/young people in their secondary education and i-VET education, focusing on those groups that, coming from foreign countries, are incoporated in the formal education at these stages. Not forgetting about primary school education, project partners consider that they are the most vulnerable groups. Figures also confirm that these educational stages represent the highest rates of immigrant students: according to data provided by the Ministry of Education for 2015, most of the immigrant students are included in secondary education, with a significant rate also in PCPI (Programmes for Initial Professional Qualifications).

Additionally, another priority of the “Strengthening the profile of the teaching professions”. MULTI-ESKOLA project clearly addresses the target group of teachers and, additionally to school and I-VET centres managers. The project focuses on the development of two strategic outputs that points to this priority as we will develop resources and educational materials aimed at improving the professional skills of the teachers of secondary schools and initial vocational training, promoting continuous and peer learning through the creation of specific environments that allow interaction between teachers, experts, the educational community in general, and representatives of parents, among others.

Also, as anticipated by the Plan Heziberri 2020 published by the Basque Government, we will contribute to the “Further strengthening key competences in VET curricula”, by identifying, analysing and proposing schools and i-VET centres recommendations and guidelines for designing effective multilingual education programs to be integrated in their educational curricula.

Additionally, we will also contribute to the priority of supporting schools to address early school leaving and disadvantaged situations and dealing with all students, from one end to another of the academic spectrum. As mentioned, it is a common feature in all the European participating countries that the drop-out percentages are significantly higher among immigrant students at all educational levels. Working to promote their inclusion, we will help avoiding or minimising dropping-out on this target groups.