| The Nordic
Countries Education
Education is commonly regarded in the Nordic countries as the basis of a
well-functioning society. Education, practically free of charge, is accessible
to all citizens regardless of gender or race and is compulsory for children
from the age of 6 to 16.
The Nordic Council of Ministers has agreed on maintaining the present
standard of education in the Nordic countries, making youth and adult education,
in addition to higher education and academic research, the main field of
co-operation in the coming years.
Children today are faced with a colossal choice of entertainment and
educational possibilities. It is important to encourage the youth to participate
actively in the use of today's technology and information sector, and this
challenge is being tackled within the Nordic co-operation in the form of
several projects within the region.
Over 10,000 children have participated in a project aiming at encouraging
their Nordic identity. The project is based on visits to schools by authors,
composers and other artists who give lectures and seminars for children
from the age of 10 to 16.
|
On a Swedish beach. Photo: Per Klaesson.
Another project took the form of a communication
and information centre for young people. The centre offered a wide choice
of facilities, such as a newsroom, newspaper editing, sound and video studios,
computer data, a cartoon studio, a dark-room for photographers, instructions
for disc-jockeys etc. The aim was to get the young people actively involved
in adapting to factors like pressure and tension that they are exposed to
by everyday information and news. Furthermore the organizers hoped to establish
a link between young people of the different Nordic countries. The participants
also learned various skills for using the information productively in fields
like journalism, film, radio and other forms of communication. Although
the project was based in Stockholm, Sweden, young people all over the Nordic
region worked on it from their homes. These people still meet and work together
on their projects. Among the projects was a newspaper published once a week,
radio programmes, television shows and a film library cataloguing films
made by the Nordic youth. |
