Iceland’s Minister of Education emphasizes urgent need for reform at Education Conference in Reykjavik

Iceland’s Minister of Education and Children, Ásmundur Einar Daðason, emphasized the importance of prioritizing education and issues concerning children and youth during his opening address at the Education Conference today. He stated that existing statistics reveal significant shortcomings in the education system, but that these challenges can be overcome through collaboration among various groups.

During the conference, discussions will focus on the current status of the education system, recent changes, and the next steps in educational reform, with a particular emphasis on the government’s action plan for education policy leading up to 2030. The former Prime Minister, Katrín Jakobsdóttir, mentioned that approximately 1,000 participants are attending, with 600 present at the venue.

The minister pointed out that the substantial turnout is unsurprising, as education and youth-related issues should be at the forefront. He stressed that everyone should have a voice in the education and upbringing of younger citizens and the opportunity to impact the development of Iceland’s education system, highlighting the need to address complex and diverse challenges.

The conference’s findings will contribute to the final shaping of the action plan regarding the implementation of education policy. Ásmundur shared critical statistics, including results from the PISA assessment, which indicated that Icelandic students scored below the average of OECD countries in natural sciences, reading comprehension, and mathematics.

He also highlighted a significant increase in the proportion of children from foreign backgrounds in kindergartens and primary schools. Moreover, the number of unqualified teachers remains high, and there has been a notable rise in the percentage of first-generation immigrants in kindergartens.

Ásmundur concluded that it is vital to merge quality education, professional support, and better supervision of children, urging cooperation and mutual respect in addressing these issues.