CPH Post Education Supplement , Summer 2019

DENMARK HAS SIX STAGES OF EDUCATION WHY NOT TAKE A SUMMER SCHOOL COURSE? LEARN DANISH AND FIT RIGHT IN

THE SIX STAGES

There are six stages of education in Denmark: 1. Pre-school 2. Primary and lower secondary education 3. Upper secondary education 4. Vocational education and training 5. Higher education 6. Adult learning.

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Anyone who has just arrived in Denmark knows the feeling of slight apprehension and the stress of initially finding their feet. If you have young children, you will probably be asking yourself whether day-care is available, and if it is, are there different options?

For those with older children, the question might be how does the education system function? Is it compatible with the one back home? Is it as good? Then you may need to decide whether to go state or private.

All importantly, if my children don’t speak the language, how well will they integrate and will they make friends? It may also be relevant to ask what opportunities there are for higher education and will a degree or qualification taken in Denmark be recognised abroad?

HIGH STANDARDS

The Danish school system is considered one of the best in the world. Higher education and training in Denmark ranked 6th in the

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World Economic Forum’s league table 20172018 and 5th in the 2018 Universitas 21 rankings.

FREE OR FEE-PAYING?

All children are entitled to free tuition at Danish municipal primary and lower secondary schools, as are adult students living in Denmark, depending on the level and nature of the institution. Private schools are also fairly common and these are heavily state-subsidised.

It is also possible to find international schools where the curriculum, which often follows a UK, US or French model, is taught in English, French, Spanish, German or Japanese. Although there may be some Danish students, the student body is typically international.

For some years now, the International Baccalaureate (IB) has also been gaining ground in Danish schools, the diploma giving access to university education in Denmark and all over the world.

Before going to pre-school, most Danish children have attended a day-care institution.

After pre-school, which is actually optional, children go on to do nine years of compulsory education in primary and secondary school, with an option to take a tenth year. The same pupils stay together for all the 9 years.

The tenth form can be taken in the existing school if it is offered, but is also available at an efterskole, ungdomsskole or fri fagskole.

As well as providing academic programs allowing entry into higher education, upper secondary education can offer programmes of a more vocational nature.

KEEP ON LEARNING

Denmark has a long tradition for lifelong learning and many Danes participate in adult education. Workplaces also expect staff to upgrade their skills through educational schemes throughout their working careers.

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Denmark has a long history of pre-school education stretching back to the 1820s, when the first schools were set up to instruct the children of working families where both parents went out to work.

The development of the child is prioritised very highly, so as well as providing a safe environment for child care, the institutions co-operate with parents to support the development of the individual’s self-esteem.

Initially, they were places to look after children but between 1850 and 1900, private educational institutions appeared that had pedagogical objectives as well.

DAY-CARE FACILITIES

All children under the age of six are legally entitled to attend a day-care facility. This term covers institutions such as crèches, day-care institutions, nursery schools and ageintegrated institutions.

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Because day-care is a legal requirement, the local authority is obliged to provide facilities for any child aged 26 weeks and up to school age. These can be organised in various ways – either as local-authority child-minding, local-authority day-care centres, independent day-care centres, private childminding, or an approved private day-care centre.

In cases where parents work far away from their home, it might be desirable for them to have their children cared for in a day-care facility under another local authority. This is also possible.

If parents want their child to attend an approved private day-care centre, they may be able to obtain a financial subsidy to pay for the place. There is also the possibility of obtaining an aided-place subsidy if the parental income is below a certain level.

CHILD-MINDING IN PRIVATE HOMES

In the local-authority regime, child-minding takes place in a private home and a child-minder can take care of up to five children. Children are assigned to individual child-minders by the local authority. If two or more child-minders work together, they may be permitted to look after up to ten children.

There are also private private child-minders whose work is governed by an operating agreement between them and the local authority. The local authority subsidises the individual child and supervises the scheme.

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When a child is admitted to a day-care facility through local authority allocation, the local council subsidises the cost of the child’s place, and the parents make up the difference. There is also a sibling discount if more than one child in a household is in the same institution.

DAY CARE CENTRES

These are institutions such as crèches, nursery schools and ageintegrated institutions. They cater for children from birth to school age.

They can either be run by the local authority or by private individuals.

Independent day care centres are owned and run by private individuals under the terms of an agreement with the local authority. They are subject to local authority supervision and receive subsidies from the local authority to cover their costs.

Approved private day-care centres must be licensed by the local authority. However, the centres themselves decide who to admit and children are not referred to them by the local authority. They also receive a local authority subsidy per child.

In agreement with the local authority, day-care centres can be operated as outsourced day-care centres.

These institutions must comply with the same requirements as the local authority day-care centres.

The curriculum sets out the goals for the day-care facility regarding what the children should be learning. It also as describes the methods and activities used to attain these goals and includes a methodology for evaluating the curriculum.

Six themes have been highlighted as follows:

1. The comprehensive personal development of the child 2. Social competencies 3. Language 4. Body and motion 5. Nature and natural phenomena 6. Cultural expressions and values The curriculum must also show how the day-care facility works to ensure a good and stimulating environment for the children in its care. This environment must be considered from a child’s perspective and the children’s own experiences of that environment taken into consideration.

It’s up to the individual day-care facility to decide on their own approach. The leader of the facility is responsible for preparing and publishing the curriculum and for carrying out an annual evaluation. This includes documenting whether the approaches and activities chosen meet the objectives outlined within the themes. The curriculum must be approved by the local council, who are also responsible for monitoring its implementation.

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Since 2004, there has been a legal obligation for all day-care facilities to develop and implement an educational curriculum. There are two prongs – one for children up to 2 years old and one for children aged 3 up until they start school.

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EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT

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Any child aged 3 enrolled in a day-care facility may be given a language assessment test if there are linguistic, behavioural or other grounds to suggest that that child may be in need of language stimulation. This test is compulsory for all children aged 3 who are not attending a day-care facility.

EDUCATION AT THE PRIMARY AND LOWER SECONDARY LEVEL In Denmark, education is free unless you choose a private school or boarding school. It is also compulsory for everyone between the ages of 6 and 16 or 17.

Whether this occurs in a public school, private school or at home is a matter of individual choice, as long as pre-set standards are met. It is the education itself that is compulsory, not school.

The law guarantees a free choice of public schools within the local authority area where you live. However, as in many other countries, some schools have a better reputation than others and can be full or have long waiting lists.

PUBLIC SCHOOL

The Danish Public School (Folkeskole) is a comprehensive school consisting of both primary and lower secondary classes.

Primary school covers classes 1-6 and lower secondary classes 7-9, with an optional 10th class available in some cases.

The Folkeskole is unstreamed and the formation of classes is based on the child’s age and not in subject-specific proficiency.

Classes usually consist of approximately 21 pupils. The number must not exceed 28, although under certain exceptional circumstances, a municipality can give a dispensation for a class of up to 30.

All municipal primary and lower secondary schools share a common aim, standard requirements concerning the subjects taught at the specific form levels, standard regulations concerning the so-called Common Objectives for the teaching in the individual subjects, as well as standard

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The Folkeskole is governed by an Act of Parliament which lays down the foundations and objectives governing its activities.

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS This might be the ideal solution for a foreign national living in Denmark who wants an international education for his or her child. There are a number of them around, especially in the Copenhagen area.

International basic schools are private elementary schools approved by the Ministry of Education and the teaching is in languages other than Danish – either for the whole school or for divisions within it. They often teach a curriculum which leads to an internationally recognised accreditation, such as the International Baccalaureate or the Cambridge education system.

Municipal International Basic Schools From school year 2015/16, new legislation allowed municipalities to set up international basic schools. Municipal international basic schools admit children subject to compulsory education whose parents are foreigners residing temporarily in Denmark due to their employment and whose parents wish to have their children enrolled at the school.

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If there are unfilled places at a municipal international basic school, it may also admit Danish children and other foreign children who live or reside in Denmark, and whose parents wish to have them enrolled at the school. regulations concerning the leadership and organisation of the school system.

The Act also lays down clear rules for parent/school co-operation, and parents are expected to take an active part in their children’s schooling. Schools are obliged to report on pupils’ progress at least twice per year.

However, it is the responsibility of the individual municipal boards to determine how schools are to be organised within the legal framework.

The boards can also set their own additional objectives for schools. This has the advantage that a child who changes schools will, on the whole, find the new routine similar to the one he or she has been accustomed to.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS

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Denmark has a long tradition of private schools encompassing the idea of “a school for life based on the living word”.

Unlike many other countries, Denmark subsidies private schools heavily.

However, getting into one of the more prestigious ones can be difficult, as the waiting lists are often long.

Private schools in Denmark fall mainly into the following categories: 1. Small independent schools in rural districts (friskoler), 2. Large independent schools in urban districts (privatskoler), 3. Religious or Congregational schools, 4. Progressive free schools, 5. Schools with a particular educational aim, such as the Rudolf Steiner schools

The local council may decide that the education provided at the municipal international basic school should be certified internationally. It is, however, a precondition that the education continues to be up to what is generally required in the Folkeskole.

Based on the local council’s decision, the language of instruction at a municipal international basic school is English, German or French.

Further information about municipal international basic schools can be had from local school authorities in the municipality.

7. Immigrant schools.

Sources: bit.ly/2vWjgEg bit.ly/2Fk0xKn

Private schools which have been approved receive government funding regardless of the ideological, religious, political or ethnic motivation behind their establishment.

Publisher: CPH POST • Editor: Hans Hermansen • Journalist: Stephen Gadd • Layout: CPH POST • Info: hans@cphpost.dk, Tel: +45 2420 2411

6. German minority schools,

UPPER SECONDARY EDUCATION IN DENMARK

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The path to higher education or vocational training goes through the upper secondary school system

Upper secondary education typically starts at the end of full-time compulsory education and caters for students aged 16-19. Unless a private school is chosen, it is free of charge.

THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF PROGRAMS: 1. General education qualifying for access to higher education 2. Vocational or technical education qualifying primarily for access to the labour market (see separate article).

Students can take several different routes at this level and there are four academically-orientated programs available:

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1. The 3-year Upper Secondary School Leaving Examination (STX) 2. The 3-year Higher Commercial Examination (HHX) 3. The 3-year Higher Technical Examination (HTX) 4. The 2-year Higher Preparatory Examination (HF) These four programs prepare young people for higher education and ensure that they acquire a general education, knowledge and competences by means of the subjects they study and through the interaction between them.

The STX and HF programs consist of a broad range of subjects in the humanities, natural science and social sciences, whereas the HHX program focuses on business and socio-economic disciplines, in combination with foreign languages and other general subjects.

The HTX program is focused on technological and scientific subjects, in combination with general subjects.

Each of the programs has a range of compulsory subjects. Additionally, in STX, HHX and HTX, each school offers a number of specialised studies packages normally containing three subjects and offers elective subjects for students to choose between. In HF, students choose

from among the elective subjects offered by the individual school. All the programs contain multi-subject courses which serve to strengthen students’ preparedness for further study.

www.cis.dk

ADMISSION To be admitted to one of the three-year upper secondary education programs (STX, HHX, HTX), students must have completed nine years of Danish basic education or have received corresponding teaching and have taken the primary and lower secondary school compulsory final examination.

For HF, a student must have completed ten years of Danish basic education and have taken examinations in Danish, English, mathematics, a second foreign language (French or German) and physics/chemistry.

If for some reason a student has not taken the required examinations for admission to STX/HHX/HTX or HF, an admission test can also be taken. students who have not attended a Danish school can be admitted following a concrete assessment as to whether their qualifications correspond to those required by students who have attended a Danish school. They may also be required to take an admission test.

STUDENT INVOLVEMENT The needs and wishes of the students are taken very seriously and they have the right to form a student council and are also represented on the school board. The school must also ensure that students are involved in the planning of class teaching. Schools are obliged to provide academic guidance and guidance on higher education and careers.

INTERNATIONAL UPPER SECONDARY SCHOOLS At present there are 18 international upper secondary schools in Denmark offering the International Baccalaureate.

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A prerequisite is that the international course offered must be able to provide access to higher education in Denmark.

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THE NEW REALI T Y OF THE LANGUAGE SCHOOL MARKET Learning Danish should be a high priority for anyone coming to live here, but there are some obstacles to overcome

The beginning of this year saw radical changes on the Danish language school market. A major one is that classes are no longer free. Although they are still subsidised, students have to pay a fee of 2,000 kr per module, so for a six-module course, this adds up to 12,000 kr.

In addition, there is also a 1,250 kr returnable deposit per module intended to “provide an incentive to ensure that only economically self-sufficient people who are highly motivated start courses,” as the wording of the agreement stated.

Copenhagen Municipality has also completely restructured its language school system, awarding the contract to two schools, so a number of others have either had to give up or go private.

CPH POST met with Poul Neergaard, CEO of Copenhagen Language Center.

Can you understand the reasoning behind the desire to start charging fees?

Both yes and no. From the point of view of a language school provider, in a perfect world it would be free! On the other hand I think Denmark was the last country like ours with a free language school system, so it was perhaps naïve to think that could continue indefinitely.

your choices? When you start charging fees, almost inevitably an alternative market opens up and that can end up offering more choice so that people can find the course that suits them best, both with regard to the level of tuition but also geographically, cost and quality-wise etc.

Today there are more providers at all levels for expats to chose from.

I can see that it could cause problems for people coming here with low-paid jobs but at the same time, Denmark has been making a lot of effort to attract highlyeducated foreigners. As they will be in highly-paid jobs, it seems fair they ought to pay for lessons. It should be pointed out that free lessons are still available for refugees.

How have the changes affected the number of students enrolling for courses?

Initially, the state providers were challenged by the fee structure, timeframe and other elements being introduced very abruptly. A number of students dropped out of the state system and went private. However, more and more foreigners are coming to Denmark and companies are looking for skilled workers, so the potential is growing.

Is there any evidence to support the idea that a deposit ‘concentrates the mind’ when it comes to learning Danish?

The law behind the new system is very bureaucratic but on the other hand it has allowed for much more choice, so seen from an expat’s point of view you should perhaps ask yourself what are

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The two schools chosen by the municipality are Clavis and UCplus. What can Copenhagen Language Center offer that they can’t?

These schools have to work within the

framework of the law. Copenhagen Language Center is able to offer good quality courses carefully tailored to groups or individuals. We can do online classes, workplace classes – in fact anything that the customer desires. All the language schools have to keep a close eye on the market and chose how they prioritise but ultimately, it is the customer who makes the choice.

Are there any other issues expats ought to be aware of regarding language schools?

To anyone newly arrived in Denmark I’d say: try and learn as much Danish as you can. It will help you feel welcome, function better at work and socially and manage things like day-care institutions and schools better.

Consider your options. Don’t just go for the cheapest course but look at quality, as well as things like class sizes, when they take place, online options etc.

Ask around amongst colleagues or at International House.

SHARP DROP IN FOREIGNERS TAKING DANISH COURSES The new law putting a stop to free language courses for foreign students and workers is beginning to bite

them the last little push so that they learn Danish and can get a job in Denmark,” said the organisation’s head of education and research, Mads Eriksen.

“This is what’s needed to keep them here in the country and paying taxes,” he added.

FOREIGN FREELOADERS? Photo: Freepik.com

Dansk Folkeparti – one of the main proponents of the measure – believes the figures show foreigners simply don’t want to become part of Danish society.

By Stephen Gadd Since July 1 last year, foreigners interested in learning Danish have been required to pay at least 2,000 kroner per module unless they are a refugee or a dependent family member being reunited.

Typically, a student needs to complete six modules to complete the course at a total cost of 12,000.

New figures reveal that since the fees were introduced, a lot fewer internationals are taking Danish lessons.

According to figures compiled by DR from the Danskuddannelsesdatabasen, the first half of 2018 saw 22,328 people on Danish courses. When the new law came in, the number fell by more than 10,000 for the second half of the year.

HITTING HARD “This equates to the closure of a large factory. People are just not willing to pay for Danish lessons. It really is a catastrophe,” Betina Johansson, the head of the AOF Job and Dansk course centre in Esbjerg, told DR Nyheder.

The centre in Esbjerg has had to dismiss 30 employees and close branches in two towns because there are so few students.

It is especially international students who are dropping Danish lessons, mainly because many of them are on tight budgets and just can’t make the money stretch far enough if they have to pay.

PENNY WISE, POUND FOOLISH The Dansk Erhverv business interest group points out that charging fees could end up being a very expensive mistake.

“Denmark already spends a lot of money giving international students a free education, and it is a great pity that we don’t give

“There are foreigners coming to Denmark who just don’t want to have anything to do with it because as soon as they have to dig into their own pockets, they can’t be bothered,” said the party’s immigration spokesperson, Martin Henriksen.

This article originally appeared in CPH POST on 25 April

WHY NOT LEARN SOMETHING DURING THE LONG SUMMER VACATION? Summer schools are a fun way of combining learning with meeting people and discovering Denmark

The sun is out and you have time on your hands so what better way to use your time profitably than attending one of the many summer schools that can be found around the country?

If you are an international student there are a host of opportunities to attend summer schools where the tuition is in English at Danish higher education institutions.

The programs give you the opportunity to increase your knowledge and skills in and outside your usual area of study and a chance to work with Danish and international students. Courses are available at different levels and within a number of fields of specialisation.

The study in Denmark website (studyindenmark.dk) has a search engine listing all higher educational institutions in the country and you can search for summer schools there. This year turned up 129 different courses in subjects as diverse as engineering, agriculture, physics, economics, robot, wind power and social marketing.

To take a concrete example, if you have the prerequisite entry qualifications, from 29 July-16 August you can take a bachelor level course in Virtual Reality. The course is a three week one with one week online and two on site.

You can choose between real business cases from LEGO and The Royal House using VR/AR technologies. During the three weeks, you learn how to make VR in Unity, where you will be divided into three levels of difficulty depending on your existing skills. You will also learn how to facilitate the development of VR productions. Tuition fees for this are set at 700 Euros for EU citizens and 1,200 for non-EU citizens. You will also have to pay for your own accommodation.

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IT IS ROCKET SCIENCE!

SUMMER CARE/SUMMER CAMP If you have young children, why not try the International School of Hellerup’s summer program? With a six-week program delivered in English from July 1 to August 9, it is mainly aimed at children aged 3-12, and provides an active and engaging period of learning, adventure and summer fun in a safe, positive and respectful environment.

This year, camps have also been added for children aged 13-17.

The summer program is divided into two.

Summer Care caters for children 3-10, comprising daily activities such as crafts and educational games organised in a

child-centred and interest-based setting.

The Summer Camp for children aged 7-12 is a series of thematic camps within a variety of areas such as English as a second language, music, art, science, dance, exploration, Disney language skills, sports and more.

The ISH Summer Program is open to all children, including ISH students, students from other schools and children visiting Denmark and the Copenhagen area.

Students are signed up on a weekly basis so families can choose summer activities according to their busy schedules. The fee for Summer Care is 1,000 kr per week and Summer Camp costs 1,400 kr per week.

FOR ADULTS AND OLDER STUDENTS If you are a beginner and would like to learn Danish, Copenhagen Language Center/Københavns Sprogcenter offers a summer course that might be just what you are looking for.

An International Baccalurette World School

In order to take advantage of it you have to be able to speak English and have at least 12 years of schooling, so these courses are primarily designed for older students.

There are four sessions per week during the whole of July.

One of them involves an excursion. Time must also be set aside for homework. Classes consist of 12-20 participants.

The fees are 2,392 kr for the summer course (52 lessons). The courses start on July 2.

You can sign up for the course through this link to the Copenhagen Language Centre summer course page: bit.ly/2HLGSBF

LEARN DANISH AND ABOUT THE DANES Another possibility is the summer schools program run by Danes Worldwide (danes.dk, then chose English and search on summer schools).

Every year they run a program where three boarding schools in Denmark take in 500 children from 10-17 who spend nearly three weeks of their summer vacation learning about the Danish language, culture and history.

There are more than 70 teachers and activity leaders to provide instruction and oversee the many other activities that take place at the Summer School Denmark: theme parties, field trips, a day in Copenhagen with a trip to Tivoli, and much more.

However, the main emphasis is on learning Danish. All students attend 75 Danish lessons during the Summer School program, regardless of level. It is also possible to take the exam to earn the Graduation Certificate, Danish language (FSA) whilst they are at the summer school.

This year’s summer school starts on Wednesday July 10 and finishes on Friday July 26.

If you are a member of Danes Worldwide, the cost of the school is 18,500 kroner and non-members pay 20,500 kroner.

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The course is specially designed for people who want to make sure their first steps on the ladder to learning Danish are the right ones. The school runs an intensive four-week summer school that also includes an introduction to Danish culture.

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We welcome students from ages 3 to 18

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We offer the full continuum of International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes: PYP, MYP and DP, as well as Pre-K

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We deliver an excellent, well-rounded education in a caring and supportive learning environment

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We offer exciting trips, electives, and many more activities beyond the classroom

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We have Morning Club and After School Care

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We are affordable and offer scholarships

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Our teachers are passionate and highly qualified

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We pride ourselves on fostering reflective and purposeful learners, as well as responsible Find out moreglobal about citizens ISH, book a visit or contact us •

We are considerate, form warm relationships, and build and nurture our ISH Community The International School of Hellerup is a Not-For-Profit IB World School with over 500 students representing more than 50 nationalities from around the world.

Find out more about ISH, book a visit or contact us at + 45 70 20 63 68 I info@ish.dk I www.ish.dk

The organisers emphasise that the school is primarily a learning program and they expect the participants to take the instruction seriously and to participate actively. Having said that, there are a number of activities in the evenings such as films, drama and handball, as well as creative pursuits such as sewing, design and cooking.

1 July to 9 August For more information visit www.ish.dk or contact summer@ish.dk

Two full-day excursions are also arranged, one goes to Copenhagen and ends up in the Tivoli Gardens. The other might go to various tourist attractions in Jutland, on Funen, or on islands south of Funen.

So whether you want to tool up your Danish skills, add some credits to your degree course, or just learn while you play, the opportunity is there. Have a good summer!

Fun-filled programme during the Summer holidays for children aged 3 to 17

#ISHSummerSchool #ISHLovesSummer

International School of Hellerup, Rygårds Allé 131, 2900 Hellerup, Denmark

Copyright ISH 2019 (05.19)

IN SEARCH OF THE FULLY-ROUNDED INDIVIDUAL

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A uniquely Danish educational concept that is well worth investigating is the efterskole

Efterskoles are residential schools catering for pupils between the ages of 14 and 17 and at present, there are around 250 of them spread around Denmark.

Kold and NFS Gruntvig. The first one was founded in 1879 in Galtrup, Mors and in the years that followed, several more opened in southern Jutland.

Schools vary in size from 25 to 500 students, but most have a minimum of around 100 students and they are also open to foreign students.

Kold and Gruntvig both agreed that education should be geared to producing fully-rounded human beings and should not just be book learning by rote. Efterskoles are self-governing independent institutions that provide for both the educational and personal development of their students. They adhere to the principles of providing a

New ideas in education Historically, the efterskole springs from the theories of two of the greatest educators in Danish history – Christen

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general education, life-long enlightenment and guidance on being a citizen in a democratic society.

CLOSE-KNIT AND FREE Efterskole teachers are responsible both for teaching and the supervision of their students outside school hours. Teachers and students are together all day, from the time the students wake up until they go to bed. This can foster close, personal and informal relationships between students and teachers.

albeit a temporary one, and like a normal home, things happen from early morning until late at night.

As well as ordinary school classes, there are lots of other activities taking place, both during and outside school hours and these might include sports, cooking, games, music, drama etc., which all contribute to establishing a fellowship between the students at the school and the teachers.

THE INTERNATIONAL DIMENSION If you’ve just moved to Denmark and you are looking for an education in English for your child, an efterskole might well be the answer. A number of them offer an international curriculum based on the Cambridge International Examination (CIE).

HOST FAMILY IN DENMARK

The schools have a high degree of freedom when it comes to choice of subjects taught, teaching methods and educational approach. These vary in accordance with the school’s political, religious or pedagogical orientation. This freedom is assured via substantial state subsidies to both schools and students.

Some efterskoles concentrate on specific areas such as sport or music. This can influence the way the curriculum is put together, but it must not be at the expense of the teaching having a broad base and always measuring up to that offered by the folkeskole. Courses should be open to everyone, regardless of sex or previous educational experience.

SQUARE PEGS AND ROUND HOLES If you are a teenager or a parent of teenage children, then the efterskole system is certainly worth considering. Not everyone is able to thrive in the mainstream educational system and an efterskole can turn out to be the road to greater selfconfidence, maturity and independence.

By its very nature, a boarding school throws disparate individuals much closer together, and so fosters elements of solidarity and communal responsibility. This can also lead to closer friendships than those made at traditional day-schools.

There are other educational benefits to be gained from a period at efterskole. Using figures from Danmarks Statistik, a survey of the progress of pupils attending efterskole from 2010 to 2014 showed that pupils taking 10th class at efterskole were academically more advanced than the average and that they take fewer breaks during their further education than pupils from other school systems, regardless of grade averages. So all the more reason to read on and perhaps make a choice that will change your life.

HOW DOES AN EFTERSKOLE WORK? Advocates of the Danish efterskole will tell you that a year spent at an efterskole is like several spent in a more formal Danish educational institution.

When you attend an efterskole, you spend nearly all your time on school premises. The school becomes your new home,

To ease the way for foreign students and ensure that they thrive, some efterskoles are able to provide a ‘host family’ for their students. The host family is a normal Danish family which offers the student hospitality and can act as a ‘reserve family’ while he or she is studying.

The families can share their everyday life, weekends and holidays with students and act as a ‘home-from-home’ for those times when it is not possible for students to remain at school, such as holidays and some weekends, or if the student simply needs to get away from it all and have some time to think.

AN EDUCATED WORKFORCE FOR A GLOBAL ECONOMY Denmark has taken active steps to ensure its workforce remains qualified to meet new challenges

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Most people in Denmark participate in education of some sort. As well as the normal school system, there is a high uptake in adult education and continuing training, on-the-job competence development and liberal adult education.

There has been substantial investment from the government side in education. As far back in 2007, the government finalised a report on Denmark’s strategy for lifelong learning in the context of European co-operation. This was followed up by extensive educational reforms designed to increase quality and establish better coherence within the entire system.

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EDUCATION GUIDE F O R ALL AGES

WHAT IS LIFELONG LEARNING?

Lifelong learning can be defined as learning pursued throughout life: learning that is flexible, diverse and available at different times and in different places.

Lifelong learning crosses sectors, promoting learning beyond traditional schooling and throughout adult life (i.e. post-compulsory education).

In a report from 2001 the European Commission identified lifelong learning as having “Four broad and mutually supporting objectives: personal fulfilment, active citizenship, social inclusion and employability/adaptability”. So lifelong learning includes dimensions which

transcend narrow economic and vocational aspects.

OBJECTIVES FOR LIFELONG LEARNING In a Danish context, the government has defined a number of objectives along the path to lifelong learning.

First of all, a coherent education system from pre-school to higher education must provide the opportunity for everyone to acquire excellent basic skills, an education which qualifies them for the labour market and provides a solid foundation for lifelong learning. There must also be equal opportunities and room for all.

The educational programmes offered must be world-class. The system should foster talent and be more accommodating to slower learners. Quality is paramount and education should be tailored to the needs of the labour market and society in general.

There must be relevant, high quality adult education and continuing training available for everyone in the labour market which matches the needs of all parties and places particular emphasis on the need for upgrading the skills of those at the lowest educational level. There is a shared responsibility to ensure that everyone in the labour market is engaged in lifelong learning.

Systematic competence development in the workplace should be strengthened, both in the public and private sector. Increased investment in continuing training and competence development for employees should contribute to improving the skills of individuals and strengthening the development of both public and private sectors.

Opportunities for guidance and counselling must be improved and help provided to ensure the best possible conditions for those choosing educational programmes and participating in lifelong learning.

As a basis, education and learning should take the existing knowledge, skills and competences of individuals and build upon them. With regards to adult education and continuing training, new and improved opportunities are to be created in order to discover and recognise the educational attributes of the individual.

Coherent educational paths and transparency in the education system should contribute to targeted education and lifelong skills upgrading and facilitate the best possible use of public resources.

All educational programmes should be looked at in a global perspective and ought to contribute to strengthening internationalisation and co-operation with the world around us.

Higher education is to be strengthened in order to contribute to enhancing the overall quality in education and knowledge development. A better framework and conditions should be developed for interaction between educational institutions, the public and private sectors and other relevant players.

OTHER MEASURES As well as the goals above, it is important that all young people should complete an educational programme with global perspectives and more of them should spend some time studying abroad.

Photo: Freepik.com

Professional institutions have also been in the spotlight. Here, the aim is to have fewer and stronger institutions with a broad academic breadth and high quality. This should help develop and future-proof education and training and help strengthen knowledge development and innovation through interaction with research institutions and business.

The government and members of the Globalisation Council have entered into a framework agreement on binding partnerships that should help convert the strategy into concrete action.

Partnerships in education and competence development can help strengthen the quality of and demand for education and continuing training and can also enhance regional efforts to promote growth and business development.

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