The conference of the Baltic-Nordic project for developing curriculum for compulsory basic school in Consumer Education

Vilnius, May 7 ^th> 2001

State Secretary for Consumer Affairs Solveig Solbakken
Ministry of Children and Family Affairs

Thank you for your friendly invitation to open this conference. For me, for the Nordic representatives, yes, I think for all of us, it is a new and fresh experience to meet each other across borders that are now wide open. And thank you for the idea and proposal for a project like this, which emerged as one of the results of the consumer education school conference in Riga in September last year.

The historical setting changes and each generation has its challenges. In our changing societies, it is difficult to identify the most important aspects, and to single out the public action needed.

We have to be true to life. And I first and foremost think of the next generation. How can we prepare or give them a more relevant start for the life in a society they already live in. In many ways children and youngsters are more updated than their parents. It is important not to underestimate young people. How should we relate what they learn in the classroom to everyday experience?

Most products and services are now bought and delivered from different kinds of markets. Using our money on housing, foodstuff, clothing, telephones, and sometimes even day care for small children demand that each and one of us can handle a market, know our rights, use our scepticism, and balance our income and expenses. The time for queuing up and waiting hopefully and patiently for your turn is definitely over.

Our Ministry of Children and Family Affairs, where I am State Secretary for Consumer Policy, underlines strongly that the consumer sector shall contribute to realising the objectives of the general part of our national curriculum. I quote: "To contribute to that children and the young ones get their share in a broad preparation for life to prepare for further learning and develop them as individuals and members of society".

We see consumer education as an interdisciplinary subject dealing with facts, skills, and attitudes related to being a consumer in today’s world. Consumer education develops knowledge about consumer rights and responsibilities and attempts to increase insight not only for personal use, but also the local, national and global consequences of consumer attitudes and behaviour. It aims to stimulate conscientious consumerism, which will contribute to sustainable international development. Consumer education is "responsibility learning" which involves problem solving and being able to function in a society in rapid change.

The students must have a conscientious attitude to his or her consumption. Economic choices should be based on values.

It is important that students develop their own independent apprehensions in relation to marketing and other commercial influences

They must develop basic knowledge and the necessary technological skills.

And last but not least, they must develop competence in mastering problems, that means skills to problem solving in everyday life and a readiness for acting in relation to a society in rapid change.

The possible and different practical and pedagogical implication is one theme for this two days conference. So I will limit this opening speech to mentioning three questions that we nationally and at the Nordic level see as important at this time:

Firstly, on the issue of sustainable consumption. Studies reveal that food, together with transport and housing, are areas were new consumption habits can contribute to a more sustainable development for the society. Is it possible to combine modern nutrition principles and ecological criteria? We asked our National Institute for Consumer Research. Their report studied the relevant literature, decided on the relevant criteria, developed a monthly sustainable menu, and surveyed the price for this menu for a family with two children. Changing to sustainable nutrition will not cost the average Norwegian family more than they already spends on food according to our National Bureau of Statistics. In average, just below 12% of the family income is used to buy food. The challenge, then, is to stimulate the consumers to ask for and to choose ecological alternatives.

Secondly: The ability to handle our personal economy, credit included, becomes more and more important. The consequences of individual’s misjudgements/mistakes in the credit market can be serious - especially for families with children, and especially families or singles with only one income. These problems must be prevented. If something goes wrong, there may be no second chance for a family with debt problems. Lack of consumer education is costly, for families and for the society that is supposed to help mending economic problems for families.

Thirdly: Children and youngsters are to an increasing degree a target group for all kinds of marketing. They have become a target for marketing efforts seeking life-long loyalty for brands. The private sector has also discovered that children play an important part in influencing their parents’ decisions. Kid-fluence is the word.

The massive pressure is new and seems only to increase. Children and young people are challenged on all arenas. What probably provokes most of us, is when business interests cynically exploit the children’s and young peoples’ search for identity. Not all aspects of Western lifestyles are worth striving for.

Both as parents and members of society, we are forced to take a stand to this development. This is a matter of values, as well as a political issue. At the same time it is complex and challenging. To what degree are we able to protect our children? Do we have the necessary means, and do we handle them in the right way?

This is some of the background for the committee that, on a mandate from our Ministry has surveyed these issues and recommended actions for reducing the commercial pressure on children and young people. The report is now sent on a broad national hearing, where all interested parties may give their views.

Our Ministry will study the report and the results of the hearing closely, and follow up through actions that can reduce the commercial pressure and make children and young people more conscious.

However, we must not be naive – we can not "wait and see". Our own behaviour as parents and teachers is more influential than our words - at home as in school. We can all contribute to critical attitudes toward all the smart methods of the advertising industry. An important task is to give the children belief in themselves, so that they can grow up as critical and conscious individuals and citizens. The parents and the school have a common responsibility.

Even if borders open, and we feel more alike here in this part of Europe there are also differences. Maybe an underestimated part is the ongoing nationbilding in our countries. My country got its freedom from Sweden 96 years ago, and we have agreed on celebrating "100 years of peace" in 2005. It is important to focus on the positive aspects where possible.

In the same way, our national school systems also are a substantial part of our respective national identity and should be well taken care of and developed.

In the field of education dialog and discussion will be more rewarding for us all, than just "one way traffic".

We see this Baltic-Nordic project as an opening for such a dialog and discussion. I sincerely hope this will give us better understanding of our respective backgrounds and experiences, and that it will be useful also when relating it to consumer education.

Thank you to our Lithuanian hosts, whom have made this conference possible, and good luck with the new project!