PART II SPECIFIC PROVISIONS OF THE FRAMEWORK CONVENTION CONCERNING EDUCATION 2.1 Article 12 of the Framework Convention ‘12(1). The Parties shall, where appropriate, take measures in the fields of education and research to foster knowledge of the culture, history, language and religion of their national minorities and of the majority. 12(2). In this context the Parties shall inter alia provide adequate opportunities for teacher training and access to textbooks, and facilitate contacts among students and teachers of different communities. 12(3). The Parties undertake to promote equal opportunities for access to education at all levels for persons belonging to national minorities.’ 2.1.1 Explanatory Report ‘Paragraph 71. This article seeks to promote knowledge of the culture, history, language and religion of both national minorities and the majority population in an intercultural perspective (see Article 6, paragraph 1). The aim is to create a climate of tolerance and dialogue, as referred to in the preamble to the framework convention and in Appendix II of the Vienna Declaration of the Heads of State and Government. The list in the second paragraph is not exhaustive whilst the words "access to textbooks" are understood as including the publication of textbooks and their purchase in other countries. The obligation to promote equal opportunities for access to education at all levels for persons belonging to national minorities reflects a concern expressed in the Vienna Declaration.’ 2.1.2 Main Issues Most of the information provided by States as well as most of the comments of the Advisory Committee in the field of education are placed under Article 12. In addition to issues pertaining to the scope of education (in time, place and in content), three core issues are raised in State Reports and in the Opinions of the Advisory Committee. They follow the structure of Article 12: a) b) c) Promotion of a multicultural and intercultural perspective of education; Teacher training, access to textbooks and multicultural contacts; Equal opportunities for access to education. The scope of education States report on the basis of a wide understanding of education. This has also been the approach pursued by the Advisory Committee. The scope of the notion of education covers not only the basic compulsory school system, but also pre-schools, higher education, research, vocational education, adult education, education of professional groups (including the legal profession, police, journalists, government officials and politicians) and educational activities outside regular school hours (such as so-called Sunday schools and summer camps). For instance, in its Comments on the Opinion of the Advisory Committee, the Government of Moldova reported: The Law "About education" has no term of "the Sunday school", yet in its preamble there is the general definition of the educational system that includes "the network of educational institutions of different types and forms of ownership...”. It allows considering "the Sunday school" as a public teaching and 13