NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL

SYSTEM IN DENMARK
Pattern of Administration
Policies and Objectives
Danish Educational System
Pre-School, Primary and Secondary Education
Grading System
Curriculum

Discussant: Andrea Claire C. Malonzo

PATTERN OF
ADMINISTRATION

Ministry of Education
It is responsible for primary and secondary
education, vocational programmes,
professional bachelor programmes and AK
programmes and also determines in general
terms the education frameworks, curricula
and exit qualifications.

Ministry of Science, Innovation and

Higher Education
The Ministry handles tasks related to policies, administration, operation,
coordination and interaction, etc. in and between these areas.
The Ministry consists of:
The Department
The Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation
The Danish Agency for Higher Education
IT Department of the Ministry of Higher Education and Science

PRINCIPLES, POLICIES
AND
OBJECTIVES

Folkeskole Act (1994)

Any child resident in Denmark is subject to 10 years of compulsory education from the age of
6 to 16. Education is compulsory in Denmark for everyone between the ages of 6-7 and 16.
Part 1 - The Aims of the Folkeskole
(1) The Folkeskole shall - in cooperation with the parents - further the pupils' acquisition of
knowledge, skills, working methods and ways of expressing themselves and thus contribute
to the all-round personal development of the individual pupil.
Part 2 - The Structure and Content of the Folkeskole
The Folkeskole shall comprise a one-year pre-school class, a nine-year basic (primary and
lower secondary) school and a one-year 10th form.
(2) Special education and other special educational assistance shall be given to children
whose development requires special consideration or support.
N.F.S. Grundtvig VIDEO

Education for All

Provision of high quality education at all levels is essential to ensure
competitiveness in today's global society. Thus, Danish education aims to
ensure that all young people acquire knowledge and competencies which will
qualify them to take active part in the knowledge society and contribute to its
further development. Education is open to all and generally free of charge.

Lifelong Learning
Lifelong learning is a key principle in Denmark. The idea dates all the way
back to the 19th century Danish clergyman and philosopher N.F.S. Grundtvig,
who argued that a prerequisite for active participation in a democratic society
is education for all citizens on a lifelong basis.

Mission and Vision

The Ministry aims to create knowledge, growth and welfare in Denmark as it takes its place in
The Ministry aims to create knowledge, growth and welfare in Denmark as it takes its place in
an increasingly globalized world. We are doing so by ensuring that students, researchers and
anteachers,
increasingly
globalized
world. We
doing
so by ensuring
that students,
researchers
and
as well
as businesses
andare
public
institutions
have increasingly
better
conditions
for
teachers,
as businesses
and
public institutions have increasingly better conditions for
carrying as
outwell
research,
study and
innovation.
carrying out research, study and innovation.
The Ministry's vision is to create the best possible conditions for research, study and
The Ministry's vision is to create the best possible conditions for research, study and
innovation in Europe.
innovation in Europe.

 That is why we are working towards:

Better quality and better cohesion in higher education
Increased quality and relevance in research
Growing use and dissemination of knowledge and technology
Improved internationalization of higher education, research and innovation
Increased innovation in businesses, public institutions and higher education
Effective administration of education support and grants.

DANISH EDUCATIONAL
SYSTEM

Class

The Folkeskole is an undivided (comprehensive) school, where the formation of classes takes its point of departure in the age of the student - and not in his or her subject-specific
proficiency.

The students are divided into classes with an average of approximately 20 students per class. The number of students in a class must not exceed 28.

The Danish Folkeskole is not an examination-oriented school.

National Testing

As a part of the process of evaluating the students learning outcomes, a range of obligatory national tests have been introduced.
Students must complete the following tests:

Danish, with a focus on reading in form levels 2, 4, 6 and 8.

English in form level 7.

Mathematics in form level 3 and 6.

Geography in form level 8.

Biology in form level 8.

Physics/chemistry in form level 8.

Pre-School Class (0th Form / 6 yrs. old)

The pre-school class programme of teaching is intended to lay the foundation for the schools educational
programme as a whole and create cohesiveness in the transition between a childs daily life at home or in a day-care
centre and the pre-school class and the following form levels.

Inclusion and Special Needs Education (0th-10th Form)

Denmark has signed the Salamanca Declaration, which calls on governments to facilitate Inclusive Education. This is reflected
in the way special needs education is organized. Students with special needs are in principle met with the same expectations
as any other student. Special needs education includes differential teaching, counselling, technical aid and personal assistance.

 Primary Education (1st-6th Form / 7-12 yrs. Old)

Lower Secondary Education (7th 10th Form / 13-16 yrs. Old)
Compulsory Education means:
Whether the education is received in a publicly provided school (Folkeskole), in a private
school or at home is a matter of individual choice, as long as accepted standards are met. It

is the education itself that is compulsory, not the school.

CURRICULUM
AND
GRADING SYSTEM

Curriculum

The teaching at form levels 1-9 will be given within three subject themes and includes for all students
the subjects below (supplemented with optional subjects).

The following topics are a compulsory part of the education programme in the
primary schools
1) Road safety,
2) Health and sexual education and family studies,
3) Educational, vocational and labour market orientation.

Grading System
The danish marking scale is a 7-point grading scale. It was introduced in 2007 to make
Danish grades more comparable in an international context.

Upper Secondary Education/Youth Education Prog. (10 th 12th Form / 16 19 yrs. old)
Upper secondary education covers two to five years of education. There are two choices covered by the umbrella
term youth education programmes:
General Upper Secondary Education Programmes
Vocational Upper Secondary Education And Training (VET) Programmes

 Youth education programmes include general education

qualifying for access to higher education and vocational
education qualifying primarily for access to the labour market.

There are both public and private upper secondary schools.

To be admitted to an upper secondary education course, a
pupil must have completed nine years of basic education
and fulfilled certain subject requirements. In some cases an
admission test is also required.

 General Upper Secondary Education Programmes

General upper secondary education programmes, which primarily prepare for higher education:
1. The 3-year Upper Secondary School Leaving Examination (STX) - The academic standard is
closely linked to aspects of the academic subjects, and the students are to achieve general education
and study competence in the humanities, natural science and social science with a view to being in a
position to complete higher education.
2. The 3-year Higher Commercial Examination (HHX) - focuses on business and socio-economic
disciplines in combination with foreign languages and other general subjects.
3. The 3-year Higher Technical Examination (HTX) - focuses on technological and scientific
subjects in combination with general subjects.
4. The 2-year Higher Preparatory Examination (HF) - The students are to attain analytical and
critical skills and achieve insight into natural science, social science and humanistic contexts. They
are also to develop their linguistic competences.

 Vocational Upper Secondary Education And Training

(VET) Programmes
Vocational upper secondary education and training (VET) programmes, which primarily prepare for a
career in a specific trade or industry.
The duration of VET programmes is normally 3-4 years but may vary between 1 and 5 years.