Reykjavík partners on library homework support

In a column published by mbl.is, Hildur Björnsdóttir says a new partnership will provide homework assistance for primary school children at libraries in Reykjavík.

Reykjavík City, the Children’s Welfare Fund and Heimili og skóli signed a cooperation agreement this week. The Children’s Welfare Fund will finance the project, Heimili og skóli will provide homework support volunteers, and Reykjavík City will open its libraries.

The initiative aims to promote equal educational opportunities for children in Reykjavík and help those who need assistance with their homework. It will initially operate at the City Library branches in Kringlan and Gerðuberg, both of which are well served by public transport. The service will be available to all primary school children in Reykjavík.

The organisers hope the project will succeed and eventually expand to more parts of the city.

Björnsdóttir writes that children’s educational progress is shaped by more than what happens in the classroom. While some children have parents with the time, knowledge and language skills to help with homework every day, others lack the same support for various reasons.

She says these differences in home circumstances can have a decisive effect on children’s academic performance and reduce their future opportunities. She also notes that about 40 per cent of children complete 10 years of compulsory education without basic reading comprehension skills, while PISA results have declined significantly over recent decades.

The homework assistance is part of a broader educational drive by Reykjavík City. The city has set targets for improved results in schools, including introducing more standardised assessments, launching a measurable literacy initiative and increasing the number of books available in school libraries.

The stated goal is for Reykjavík’s primary schools to rank among the leading schools and for all children, regardless of their circumstances, to have a fair opportunity to succeed.