A/HRC/14/25 52. The issue of teacher supply remains a serious problem which must be addressed, given the consequences for those who are marginalized in the learning process; many teachers exit the profession given such tremendous challenges and frustration in their work. 53. Related to the lack of adequate education are the low expectations of teachers and the stereotypes held about a minority cultural group which often leads to discrimination. According to an education workers’ union, in segregationist school systems such misjudgement may discourage and push migrant and refugee children illegitimately into special needs schools. 54. The Special Rapporteur views the provision of intercultural training courses and awareness-raising conferences and seminars for teachers in many countries as a very positive activity and one that could be replicated elsewhere. In Denmark, for instance, teacher education includes cultural theory and research into multiculturalism. In Latvia, the “Teacher in Intercultural Environment” project has aimed to educate teachers in intercultural communication and tolerance. However, he notes also that these courses are optional (voluntary). Equally, while intercultural education may play an important role in policy documents and curricula, in practice the topic may not receive high priority in teacher education.45 55. The Special Rapporteur particularly welcomes initiatives, such as those by the Government of Portugal, whose National Plan for the Integration of Immigrants 2007–2009 contains 12 measures in the field of education, including: “Training of Teaching Staff in Interculturality”.46 In Finland, the teacher training programme introduced in 2001 declares training related to linguistic minorities and immigrants to be a priority area for teachers’ professional development.47 The Government of Korea states that multicultural education is an integral component of teacher training programmes: as of 2009, 10 teacher colleges offer the “Introduction on Multicultural Education” course. 56. Many national school systems are resistant to, or are making slow progress in, adapting teaching and learning methods to the needs of migrant, refugee and asylumseeking students. There are also structural impediments, making national coordination difficult. Many teacher education and training programmes are decentralized, while universities seek to exercise their autonomy. Such structural impediments make concerted, coordinated national or subnational curricular and pedagogical initiatives difficult to implement. VII. Accreditation 57. Accreditation — the recognition of learning, skills and experiences — touches on joint past, present and future initiatives and directly affects national education and qualification systems. The Special Rapporteur is aware that some States and regions48 promote the reciprocal recognition of learning. In large measure, however, the tendency is to focus on formal, certified and academic qualifications.49 As such, non-formal learning is 45 46 47 48 49 14 See EFA Global Monitoring Report 2010, p. 32. See Portugal, Plan for Immigrant Integration (Lisbon, ACIDI, 2007). Available from: http://www.acidi.gov.pt/docs/PII/PII_Ing.pdf. See EFA Global Monitoring Report 2010, p. 32. See the European Parliament and Council directive 2005/36/EC of 7 September 2005 on the recognition of professional qualifications, the Andrés Bello Agreement within Latin America and the Lisbon Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region. Reflected also in international law. For example, art. 22 of the Convention Relating to the Status of GE.10-12879