Danish schools target reading and math with new government initiative

The new Danish government will launch a project in the 2027 school year to significantly improve reading and math skills at the country’s 100 lowest-performing primary schools, Education Minister Magnus Heunicke said.

“We cannot accept so many students leaving primary school without having learned the most basic skills—reading, writing, and arithmetic,” Heunicke told public broadcaster DR.

At Kirstinebjergskolen in Odense, one of last year’s lowest-scoring schools in Danish and math, teachers already use targeted methods like “phoenix classes,” where students with varying needs learn together with two adults present. Class 0.B, for example, rotates through stations focused on reading, writing, and language skills.

“We have the tools to do something about it, but we lack the funding,” said Christian Jensen, chair of the school’s board.

The government has not yet selected the 100 schools for the project. Jensen called the initiative positive but stressed that funds must reach individual schools directly. “If they ensure the money gets to us, we’ll make it work and solve the problem,” he said.

Heunicke emphasized the effort would require close cooperation between the ministry, schools, and municipalities, using proven methods to raise standards.