A world-class education system

A well-qualified and highly educated workforce plays a crucial role in an increasingly globalised knowledge economy. A well functioning education system based on everyone having excellent and equal opportunities to acquire useful qualifications and competences is thus an important cornerstone of strong competitiveness and a flexible labour market and of an individual's opportunity to actively participate in society and in the labour market.

It is the Government's aim that the education system, from preschool to higher education, shall ensure that all young people receive a high-quality education and a solid foundation for engaging in lifelong learning. The education system shall also contribute to promoting a culture of learning which promotes creativity, independence and responsibility.

The quality of education shall be enhanced at all levels so that it fulfils current and future needs for competences and new knowledge in enterprises, in the labour market and in society. There must be a greater cohesion between the various education pathways and levels so that individuals can obtain qualifications and skills in a flexible way, and all young people shall have an education with a global outlook. The education system must be inclusive so that there is room for everyone - far too many drops out today. In addition, more people have to go faster through education so that the resources are used efficiently.

The Government has laid down the following specific targets and initiatives concerning all levels in the education system - from pre-school to higher education at university level.

Preschool

Day-care facilities and preschool class play a very important role in the personal, intellectual and social development of children. A child's linguistic development has particular importance for the way it copes in education. This applies not least to children of an ethnic background other than Danish. It is therefore important to improve cohesion between day-care facilities and basic school.

It is the Government's aim that all children shall have a good start in school. This shall be achieved through the following initiatives in particular:

• Language assessment is introduced for all children at the age of three and again at the age of six at the start of the pre-school class so that the education and teaching can be based on the linguistic abilities of the individual.
• Compulsory education is extended from nine to ten years of schooling by making the preschool class an obligatory part of basic school.
• Curricula are prepared in all day-care facilities.
• Subject-based teaching in Danish, especially reading, is introduced in the preschool class.

It is also the Government's aim to ensure a better transition to basic school by clarifying objectives in legislation regarding child day-care.

Compulsory basic school

Excellent basic skills and competences are a vital basis for acquiring new knowledge and skills and engaging in learning though out life. The Danish Folkeskole (primary and lower-secondary school) has many good qualities and pupils like going to school. However, it is a major challenge that one in six children leave school with insufficient reading skills and that the academic level of the Danish Folkeskole is not quite as high as in other countries with which Denmark usually compares itself.

It is the Government's aim:

• That all pupils shall have excellent academic skills and knowledge.
• That the Folkeskole shall provide pupils with knowledge and skills, promote creativity and independence and prepare them for further education.
• That the pupils shall be among the best in the world in four basic subject areas: reading, mathematics, science and English, and
• That all young people gain knowledge and skills which provide them with the basis for actively taking part in a globalised world.

Reforms in the Danish Folkeskole include in particular the following initiatives:

• A new clause stating the objectives of the basic compulsory school - that is to prepare for further education - and stressing proficiency and the pupils' familiarity with Danish culture and history.
• The culture of evaluation is being strengthened through implementation of national tests and personal pupil plans are being introduced.
• The final exams are made obligatory and the number of subjects including exams is being expanded.
• The laying down of action plans for basic subjects: reading, mathematics, science and English.
• The responsibility of the municipalities is being clarified, including the task to make annual quality reports stating the quality in the basic compulsory schools.
• A new teacher training education programme aiming at ensuring better quality and increased opportunities for specialisation and a targeted effort in continuing education of teachers and school managers.

The Government has allocated DKK 230 million for continuing education of teachers and school managers for the period 2007-2009.

General and vocational upper secondary education

Excellent basic qualifications are crucial for everyone to be able to cope in the labour market and to be able to continue learning. The needs for a well-educated labour force will also increase in the coming years. It is therefore crucial that upper secondary education, general as well as vocational, is attractive and challenging and that it offers good opportunities to all young people. This applies not least to vocational education and training, which provide young people with good employment opportunities.

Almost all young people begin an upper secondary education, either a general education programme or a vocational education and training programme. However, too many drop out of the education programme. The proportion who completes upper secondary education is currently around 80 per cent. The dropout rate is particularly high for vocational education and training programmes. There is a need, therefore, for a larger number of young people, especially young people of a different ethnic background, to complete a qualifying upper secondary education providing access to further education or to the labour market. It is important that more young people are guided and motivated to engage in education.

It is the Government's aim:

• That all young people shall have a qualifying education. At least 85 per cent of all young people shall complete an upper secondary education by 2010, and at least 95 per cent by 2015.
• That upper secondary education shall be attractive and of the highest quality.
• That the general education programmes shall provide pupils with good academic and general skills so that more can complete a higher education programme.
• That vocational education and training programmes shall challenge the most talented pupils and provide them with increased opportunities for further education. At the same time vocational education and training programmes shall provide realistic training opportunities for weak academic learners.

Reforms in upper secondary education include the following initiatives in particular:

• Municipalities shall be responsible for helping to ensure that young people complete a general or vocational upper secondary education through, among other things, better guidance and improved educational provision for weak learners.
• Vocational education and training shall be strengthened through, among other things, continuing training of teachers and better school environments.
• Efforts to increase the number of practical training places in vocational education and training shall be increased in both private and public enterprises through, among other things, a national campaign in cooperation with business and organisations.
• More flexible pathways and education programmes will be introduced in vocational education to meet the needs of all pupils, both the strong and the weak. In this regard the assessment of prior learning is an important and integral tool of vocational education and training.
• Vocational education and training will be divided into steps corresponding to the needs of the labour market so that all young people can obtain an education which is suited to their abilities and at the same time providing improved opportunities for access to higher education.

Within the agreement on implementing the globalisation fund DKK 750 million are to be allocated for quality development in vocational education and training for the period 2007-2009 and almost DKK 7 billion to increase the education capacity in upper secondary education until 2012.

Higher education

A highly educated labour force plays a central role for innovation and growth and thus for dynamic development in society. Denmark's future competitiveness and prosperity depend to a large degree on our ability to develop new knowledge and products and to exploit our know-how in the global market place. Denmark shall therefore have world-class education, and it is crucial that more young people acquire a higher education and that they complete their education programmes faster.

Today, 45 per cent of a youth cohort completes a higher education programme. This is less than in many other countries, and far too many drop out. There are also practical barriers to credit transfer which limit the opportunities to build on a previously completed education programme. Therefore, there is a need for greater cohesion in higher education programmes and between vocational education and short cycle higher education programmes. There is also a need for new and more vocational higher education programmes and education at the highest international level which match the needs of the labour market. At the same time, it is crucial that the academic and pedagogical quality of higher education programmes is strengthened.

It is the Government's aim that:

• At least 50 per cent of a youth cohort shall have a higher education in 2015.
• The quality of short cycle and medium cycle higher education programmes and university education programmes must match the best in the world.
• All higher education programmes shall have a contents which matches the needs of society.
• All young people shall complete an education programme with a global perspective.
• Young people shall be encouraged to begin higher education programmes earlier.
• The education programmes shall be organised so that delays are kept to a minimum.

The Government will in particular take the following initiatives in relation to higher education programmes:

• New profession-oriented and practice-oriented education programmes will be developed.
• All institutions providing medium cycle higher education will be concentrated in a few multi-disciplinary university colleges with academically strong and modern study environments.
• Short cycle higher education programmes will be made more attractive and flexible, they will be targeted towards the needs of the labour market and access to them from vocational education and training will be improved.
• New attractive education programmes will be developed in the areas of science, technology and health.
• Elite master's education programmes will be established so that the most talented students can be on a par with the best in other countries.
• The quality shall be improved at all levels in higher education through the inclusion of increased continuing training of teaching staff and accreditation of all higher education programmes.
• The admission system and the organisation of education programmes shall be changed in order to promote earlier commencement and a faster completion of education programmes.

As part of the implementation of the globalisation funds, more than DKK 4 billion have been allocated up to 2012 for initiatives aiming at enhancing quality and expanding teaching capacity in higher education. This includes DKK 150 million for teacher training for the period 2007- 2009 in short and medium cycle higher education and DKK 220 million for new teaching methods and teacher training in long cycle higher education in universities.

This page is part of the publication " Denmark's strategy for lifelong learning "
© The Ministry of Education 2007