THE CERTAINTY THAT IS DANISH EDUCATION

By Ben Hamilton

Benjamin Franklin wrote in a 1789 letter that “in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes”.

But besides being surprised that his private correspondence was made public and immortalised for all to enjoy over the ensuing centuries, as an esteemed polymath he would have been enthused to know we could start adding another item to the list in the early 20th century: education.

The Brits even cut top flight football during the great wars, but going to school? Forget about it, kiddo! You best learn your nine times tables – they could be vital for counting the number of tanks in a Panzer division – and it’s never too late for some rudimentary German.

Here to ease your pain

That neatly leads us to another great statesman of our time, Winston Churchill, and we’re sure that newcomers to this country would agree with his observation that education in Denmark is a “riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma”.

Right from the off, international parents are bombarded with difficult questions, and we hope this special edition will arm you with the necessary knowledge to make them on behalf of your children, and then, as they get older, to advise them.

There are forks in the road that can have a huge impact on your child’s journey from the crib to the workplace, and sometimes there is no going back.

For example, as international parents, should you send your infant to an Englishspeaking daycare facility, there is the danger they may never become fully bilingual.

But in an international setting they will be exposed to more diversity from an early age – a huge positive in our increasingly globalised society. Still, it is worth assessing all the pros and cons, although the incredibly cheap fees (PAGE 6) are not to be sniffed at.

At the age of five or six, your child is then faced with a choice between the free Danish public school system, or a fee-paying, but heavily state-subsidised international school.

Vocation vs continuing

With their elementary schooling out of the way, your child has four choices: leave education, go to efterskole (PAGES 10-11), pursue a vocational training course (PAGE 12), or continue onto gymnasium (PAGE 12), the upper-secondary school that will prepare them for higher learning (PAGE 14-15).

In an increasingly competitive job market, choosing a vocation has an obvious appeal. But what happens if the career awakens a curiosity in a subject that can only be properly explored via higher learning. Of all the forks in the road, it is the most treacherous.

More strings to your bow

Sometimes the answer can be found in choosing an education that has a back-up plan. KFTS headteacher Stuart Lynch (see Pages 4-6) is increasingly leaning towards a curriculum at the acting school that places a heavy influence on providing the students with other key skills, just in case a career on the stage doesn’t work out. Business awareness and public speaking are just two of the courses now taught to give the students the tools they need in order to succeed.

The KFTS headteacher reflects on his first decade in charge at the school, where he has also adopted a holistic approach to give the students a stronger psychological grounding.

The learning never stops

But maybe a learning shortfall can be remedied somewhat by taking advantage of the extensive range of adult education (PAGES 16-17) Denmark has to offer. 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.