What changes are being proposed in Denmark’s school reform?
Education Minister Mattias Tesfaye presented on Wednesday a series of proposed reforms that could significantly change elementary school education.
Included in the proposals presented on Wednesday are a reduction of requirements in the curriculum and the possibility of taking an apprenticeship after the seventh grade (age 13-14).
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced the upcoming proposals in her speech at last week’s opening of parliament, where she said that nine out of 10 learning goals would be removed from the curriculum. Some 4,300 learning goals are used currently.
As previously reported, the government also wants to reduce the length of the school day by at least an hour across all age groups.
The number of school hours could be cut by 190 per year for all age groups, approximately an hour each day, while schools could be allowed to cut an additional 1,500 hours per year, distributed between all age groups. The latter proposal is designed to enable schools to plan their own schedules to a greater degree.
Resources saved by shortening the school day could be used to include a second teacher in some lessons.
Tesfaye did not elaborate when asked which subjects would be pared back, but said this would be discussed with education system representatives.
School students would be presented with a major choice at the end of the seventh grade under the reformed system.
At this point, they would have to decided whether to attend an apprenticeship for 1-2 days a week, replacing their regular lessons. The apprenticeship would last throughout the eighth and ninth grades, seeing them to graduation from elementary school (folkeskole).
Those students would take an exam that would grant them access to vocational colleges (erhvervsuddannelser) but not upper secondary schools (gymnasier) and subsequently universities.
The option is aimed at students who are “tired” of school and know by the seventh grade that they want to take a vocational and not an academic route through their education, according to the government.
The proposal has already received criticism from students and from experts who say the seventh grade is too early to be able to opt out of higher education.
The Ministry of Children and Education estimates around 5 percent of students will take up the option.
Under the proposal, 2.6 billion kroner are earmarked for new classroom facilities and to add a fifth elective subject, technology, to those available to students in the 7th-9th grades. The existing subjects are design, art, music and food.
The new subject could encompass “robot technology or coding”, Tesfaye said at Wednesday’s briefing.
Most of the reform could take effect from August 2025, the minister said, although some could be implemented sooner. Other areas in which the proposals are yet to be fully formed would not be in effect until 2026.
Rules on elementary school education are politically governed by a so-called forlig or treaty between a majority of parliamentary parties. That means the parties who voted for the rules in their current form must agree to any changes made to those rules, until a new treaty is agreed.
This means the government must have the backing of the current elementary school treaty parties on its proposed reforms before being able to implement them. The parties in question are the Danish People’s Party, Liberal Alliance, Conservatives and Social Liberals.
Comments
See Also
Included in the proposals presented on Wednesday are a reduction of requirements in the curriculum and the possibility of taking an apprenticeship after the seventh grade (age 13-14).
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced the upcoming proposals in her speech at last week’s opening of parliament, where she said that nine out of 10 learning goals would be removed from the curriculum. Some 4,300 learning goals are used currently.
As previously reported, the government also wants to reduce the length of the school day by at least an hour across all age groups.
The number of school hours could be cut by 190 per year for all age groups, approximately an hour each day, while schools could be allowed to cut an additional 1,500 hours per year, distributed between all age groups. The latter proposal is designed to enable schools to plan their own schedules to a greater degree.
Resources saved by shortening the school day could be used to include a second teacher in some lessons.
Tesfaye did not elaborate when asked which subjects would be pared back, but said this would be discussed with education system representatives.
School students would be presented with a major choice at the end of the seventh grade under the reformed system.
At this point, they would have to decided whether to attend an apprenticeship for 1-2 days a week, replacing their regular lessons. The apprenticeship would last throughout the eighth and ninth grades, seeing them to graduation from elementary school (folkeskole).
Those students would take an exam that would grant them access to vocational colleges (erhvervsuddannelser) but not upper secondary schools (gymnasier) and subsequently universities.
The option is aimed at students who are “tired” of school and know by the seventh grade that they want to take a vocational and not an academic route through their education, according to the government.
The proposal has already received criticism from students and from experts who say the seventh grade is too early to be able to opt out of higher education.
The Ministry of Children and Education estimates around 5 percent of students will take up the option.
Under the proposal, 2.6 billion kroner are earmarked for new classroom facilities and to add a fifth elective subject, technology, to those available to students in the 7th-9th grades. The existing subjects are design, art, music and food.
The new subject could encompass “robot technology or coding”, Tesfaye said at Wednesday’s briefing.
Most of the reform could take effect from August 2025, the minister said, although some could be implemented sooner. Other areas in which the proposals are yet to be fully formed would not be in effect until 2026.
Rules on elementary school education are politically governed by a so-called forlig or treaty between a majority of parliamentary parties. That means the parties who voted for the rules in their current form must agree to any changes made to those rules, until a new treaty is agreed.
This means the government must have the backing of the current elementary school treaty parties on its proposed reforms before being able to implement them. The parties in question are the Danish People’s Party, Liberal Alliance, Conservatives and Social Liberals.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.