To get a better understanding of the Icelandic education system, I sat down with Arnór Guðmundsson for this episode of the All Things Iceland podcast. In his role as the Director of the Directorate of Education, his agency focuses on testing and producing textbooks for schools in Iceland. We discussed many things. Some of them include the different levels of education in Iceland, how the Icelandic education system compares with other countries, and some challenges the Directorate is facing.







The continued decrease in literacy among Icelandic teenage boys and how the survival of the Icelandic language is threatened by English are topics most people are not aware of who live outside of the country. Arnór was helpful in giving an overview of the system. I have also included answers to frequently asked questions regarding the Icelandic education system, which are not in the podcast interview.



Photo by Evelyn Paris



Contents




Arnór's interview questions



What is the history of the education system in Iceland?



What are the levels in the Icelandic education system?



Do you need to know Icelandic to study in Iceland?



How many universities does Iceland have?



Are there private schools in Iceland?



Is education free in Iceland for international students?




Questions I asked Arnór during the interview:



What made you interested in working in the Directorate of Education in Iceland?How is the education system in Iceland setup? What are the different levels?I assume that technology is used quite a bit in schools here. I am just wondering how it is used in the different education levels. Is it used early on or does the introduction of  technology start at a later education level?Is it important to promote and foster creativity in schools in Iceland? What is the difference in the standard of education between public schools vs private schools in Iceland?How does the education system in Iceland compare with other Nordic countries?When a child that doesn’t speak or understand Icelandic enters the education system, is there a process for helping them to learn the language?What are some challenges regarding the education system that the Directorate of Education is trying to tackle?I read a recent article about the reading comprehension being much poorer in Iceland than in other countries. Basically, the amount of students that did not achieve basic reading comprehension standards increased quite a bit. What do you think are some of the reasons why reading comprehensions skills among some students has deteriorated?Is there any concern about how much English is being used among teenagers in Iceland?You studied at the University of Minnesota back in the 90’s. Do you feel that your education in Iceland back then had prepared you for studying in the U.S.? Please share your impression of the education system in the United States on a university levelWhat is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase?



What is the history of the education system in Iceland?



Photo by Zak Boca



One of the oldest educational institutions in Iceland, Menntaskólin í Reykjavík, can be traced back to 1056! For centuries, education in Iceland has been of great importance.  However, the first national education law wasn’t passed until 1907. Later, the Compulsory Education Act of 1974 modernized the Icelandic education system. It included a mandate for providing special education services to all students with disabilities.



Three former schools, Prestaskólinn, Læknaskólinn and Lagaskólinn, were combined to create the University of Iceland in 1911. The schools individually taught theology, medicine and law. Naturally, the professors in the early days of the university only taught those classes for those specific fields. Over time, the fields and expertise of the faculty have diversified. This university is the country’s oldest and largest institution for higher education.



Governing Agency for Icelandic Education