Language is the key to society, and society is the key to language!
The number of children and young people with a different linguistic and cultural background in the Nordic Region has increased significantly in recent decades. In spite of aspirations to ensure that every child receives a good education, education systems are failing to fully fulfil this goal. That’s why the Icelandic government wanted to highlight this problem during the meeting of the Nordic ministers for education in Reykjavik on 3 May. Icelandic Minister of Education and Children Ásmundur Einar Daðason is concerned about this trend.
“We know that it’s necessary to learn the language in order to adapt and thrive in a new society in the long term. That’s why it’s important to ensure that the children who move here have good opportunities to learn the Nordic languages. The meeting came up with some good suggestions for projects that we can continue to work on at the Nordic level with the aim of ensuring that all children enjoy equal opportunities. In this way, we contribute to their success and the success of society as a whole,” says Daðason.
We know that it’s necessary to learn the language in order to adapt and thrive in a new society in the long term. That’s why it’s important to ensure that the children who move here have good opportunities to learn the Nordic languages.
Children with a different linguistic and cultural background generally have poorer results than their peers in the Nordic Region. Research shows that education has a greater preventative value than other factors when it comes to children with a vulnerable social status.
Solve problems before they occur
This is why it’s important to have a systematic plan to support these children at different educational levels and with an understanding of their different starting points. Language development is central in this context, and a lack of language skills can have major consequences on the individual’s life in terms of further studies and later on in the labour market. That’s why it’s important to acknowledge the problem in order not to miss the human potential at individual and societal level.
One of the three pillars of our vision is that the Nordic Region must be socially sustainable. This means that we must make sure everyone is involved.
A report from the Nordic Welfare Centre called School – a basis for successful inclusion, newly arrived children and young people in the Nordic countries, shows that there are challenges in ensuring immigrants have a good education and are included in society. Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers, Karen Ellemann, points to Vision 2030.
“One of the three pillars of our vision is that the Nordic Region must be socially sustainable. This means that we must make sure everyone is involved. Here we’ve gained a clearer insight into what can be done to better integrate young immigrants into society. When everyone has a fair opportunity to contribute to society, a better balance is created in the economy,” says Ellemann.
