School of Work students discuss outdoor curfew rules
A specialist from the Ministry of Education and Children met with School of Work students to discuss outdoor curfew rules. He visited the School of Work program at Hagaskóli this morning.
On Tuesday, June 10, 2,344 young people started jobs through Reykjavík’s School of Work program, working at 160 sites across the city. Most participants work in gardening, while nearly 1,000 are placed at preschools, after-school programs, sports clubs, scout groups, and other community organizations. Altogether, around 3,500 students will take part in the School of Work this summer—completing a wide range of city projects as they gain their first work experience.
The Ministry of Education is reviewing the Child Protection Act, which includes curfew regulations. On June 19, Gísli Ólafsson from the Ministry of Education and Children visited Hagaskóli to speak with School of Work students in grades 8–10.
The Ministry is consulting all relevant stakeholders—including young people—on whether the current laws are effective or need to be updated. "Talking to young people about how these rules affect them is an important part of the process," says Gísli.
The students shared their views. Most were generally satisfied with the current curfew, which allows younger children to stay out until 10pm in summer and 8pm in winter. Older children can be out until midnight in summer and 10pm in winter without adult supervision.
They talked about both upsides and downsides. They mentioned, for example, how the rules sometimes interrupt evening soccer games, but also said they sometimes appreciate having a reason to go home and rest.
Their School of Work supervisors are Hrafnhildur María, Tómas Haukur, and Anna Camilla.
