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Greatly increased support for children of foreign origin in school and leisure activities has been approved by the city council. Mayor Dagur B. Eggertsson suggested that the recommendations of the head of the School and Leisure Department be implemented in stages, which include that 195 million will be spent on the project this year and nearly 342 million in 2025.
The population with a diverse linguistic and cultural background has increased in recent decades, and not least in recent years, and therefore a large increase in the group of children with a diverse linguistic and cultural background. There are considerable differences in population composition between individual neighbourhoods and parts of the city, including challenges and opportunities in school and leisure activities. All children here must get the opportunity and support to develop and use their abilities.
In preschools, the number of children increased from 1,439 in 2020 to 1,646 in 2023. Every year, between 150 and 170 children of primary school age move to the country and start school in Reykjavík. In primary schools, the number of children with a diverse linguistic and cultural background increased from 2,766 in 2020 to 3,592 in 2023. In the last two years, the number of refugees has been added to that group. Between 2021 and 2023, there were 148 children with refugee status in kindergartens and 402 children with refugee status in elementary schools, which calls for more support. Children with disabilities are the fastest growing group in primary schools and there are around 45 children, of which 9 are in Klettaskóli and 9 in the sign language department at Hlíðaskóli. It can be assumed that the number of children with diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds will continue to increase in kindergartens, primary schools and in leisure activities in Reykjavík.
The proposals include that the most urgent projects in the city's elementary schools for children whose mother tongue is not Icelandic will be met systematically. Reykjavík is unique in not receiving special contributions from the Equalization Fund for children whose mother tongue is not Icelandic. In December, the Reykjavík District Court ruled that the Icelandic state was not allowed to abolish the general equalization contribution for children with a mother tongue other than Icelandic in Reykjavík. The state was ordered to pay the city over three billion because of this but has appealed the verdict.
Despite not being paid as much as other municipalities, the city has nevertheless provided significant support in recent years to support children of foreign origin.
Despite these projects and increased support, it is the strong opinion of the School and Leisure Department that there is a need to increase support for individual children and language groups, increase donations to schools with each child and strengthen teaching advice in Icelandic. With the approval of the city council, it has therefore been decided to take further measures to strengthen this group of children.
Support team for refugee children with a history of high trauma.