Education Policy until 2030 – Let Dreams Come True

Purpose and challenges

The Education Policy of Reykjavík City lays the foundation for progressive school and recreational activities, based on the strengths of the Icelandic society. At the same time, it's designed to meet the challenges posed by continuous societal and technological changes that transform children's upbringing and traditional concepts of education.

Reykjavík City's Education Policy encourages us to develop school and recreational activities in a creative learning society that meets the needs of the 21st century. The Policy focuses on the children, their needs, and welfare in the present and future while also empowering staff and enhancing professionalism in education and recreational activities. It is an important task to ensure equal opportunities and access for children to diverse education and activities that match their interests and skills. At the same time, education needs to increase children's fundamental knowledge of society and nature, taking into account the results of domestic and international research on the quality of education.

• The website of the Reykjavík City Education Policy

Guiding principle - the child as an active participant

The Policy is based on the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The goal is to cultivate the personality, skills, and mental and physical abilities of each child. The purpose is to prepare children to live responsible lives in a free society fostered by understanding, peace, mutual respect, human rights, and friendliness. The Policy is in harmony with the national curriculum for preschools and primary schools, and existing policies of the Department of Education & Youth and Reykjavík City.

The upbringing and education of children and adolescents is a societal task that occurs both formally and informally.

By building on the cultural heritage of society and achievements in various fields of science, scholarship, arts, sports, equality, and prevention, fertile ground is created for outstanding education in school and recreational activities. The activity of children and democratic participation in play and work are important guiding principles. Children need to be given appropriate support and build on their strengths and backgrounds so they can influence their education, well-being, and environment. Digital technology is used in school and recreational activities to enrich education and provide children with diverse opportunities for creation and expression. The Education Policy provides a framework for education that builds on successful school and recreational activities in the city while also embracing the future and giving new technology, knowledge, ideas, and diversity a channel.

Guiding principle - Focus on professionalism and collaboration

The City's school and recreational staff are progressive, and they review their own practices, work together toward common goals and adopt new working practices and teaching styles. The role of the staff of the Department of Education & Youth is to meet the needs of children and contribute to their holistic development. Also, to prepare them for active participation in a rapidly changing multicultural and multinational democratic society. In this context, it is crucial to activate the interest and passion of all children and adolescents, as it directly affects their success. To achieve this, it is necessary to support the professional initiative of staff, provide them with ample opportunities for career development, and offer targeted advice and guidance in their work. It is necessary to ensure that the facilities for school and recreational activities provide a sufficient framework for ambitious work and contribute to the health and well-being of children and staff.

The families of children engaged in school and recreational activities are important collaborators for those working there and share responsibility with them for education.

Staff takes the initiative to collaborate with parents and works on developing approaches that consider the diverse needs, culture, and experience of children and parents. Diverse and interdisciplinary collaboration within workplaces, between workplaces, and with institutions and entities in society contributes to the development of education.

Social skills - Strong self-image and belief in one's own abilities

Social skills refer to the ability to have effective communication with others and the desire to have a positive impact on one's environment and society. Great effort is made to ensure children develop the ability to work together, empathize with others, and show kindness and respect to others. Social skills are related to emotional literacy, a sense of justice, and leadership ability. Social skills primarily develop through active, democratic collaboration, where children have the opportunity to demonstrate their minds in action and express their views. Thus, the child becomes an active participant in shaping the society they belong to.

Self-empowerment - Strong self-image and belief in one's abilities

Self-empowerment involves the child gaining confidence in their abilities, learning to recognize their strengths and weaknesses, and setting and pursuing goals. Self-empowerment is based on self-awareness and resilience. A clear and strong self-image helps the child to make independent, responsible decisions, face adversity, and live in harmony with others. Self-control and communication skills are closely linked and affect children's self-esteem, well-being, academic performance, and success in life.

Literacy - Knowledge and understanding of society and environment

Literacy refers to the ability to read, understand, interpret, and critically engage with written language, words, numbers, images, and symbols. In a broad sense, the concept also refers to literacy in various media, environments, behaviors, and situations. Literacy is inherently a social phenomenon and begins with the language education of children at birth. Good literacy skills in Icelandic are key to acquiring knowledge and understanding of the environment and society.