Politics/economics
Status of Education
Iceland has one of the best educational systems in the world. The education system in Iceland is divided in four levels: playschool, compulsory, upper secondary and higher, and is similar to systems in other Nordic countries. Looking at Iceland’s educational system and comparing it to the United Nations Global Education First Initiative priorities, which are putting every child in school, improving the quality of learning, and fostering global citizenship, Iceland is doing an excellent job. A fundamental principle of the Icelandic educational system is that everyone should have equal opportunities to acquire an education, regardless of sex, economic status, residential location, religion, possible handicap, and cultural or social background.
Icelandic law dictates that education is mandatory for children between the ages of 6 and 16; this a-lines with the first the first priority of the UN Global Education Initiative, which is putting every child in school. Most institutions are funded by the state and there are very few private schools in the country. This allows all students to attend school and get an education. The second stage in Icelandic education is compulsory education. Compulsory education is organized in a single structure system, where primary and lower secondary education form a part of the same school level. There is no tuition for compulsory education and students who complete compulsory schooling have access to upper-secondary education, regardless of their achievement. Students who desire to continue their education beyond the compulsory period are able to pursue programs of study of various forms in upper-secondary schools.
Even though all students make it through the compulsory education stage in Icelandic education, there are high dropout rates in their upper-secondary education schools. The OCED (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) is an international economic organization of 34 countries to stimulate economic progress and world trade. Iceland has partnered with the OCED to help improve the dropout rates for upper-secondary education. Icelandic students reach upper secondary education with high level skills, as measured by PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment). Yet, while Iceland has achieved progress, the country is currently facing challenges such as a decrease in the attainment of upper secondary education amongst youth and a high dropout rate and they have collected evidence that suggests that Icelandic students have the motivation to continue schooling, but there are different factors that may be hindering completion. (Summary of Strengths, Challenges and Policy Conclusions to Prevent Dropout from Upper Secondary Education in Iceland, OCED) In order to overcome these high dropout rates the Icelandic government had taken action to reform the educational system. One of the ways the plan to achieve this is by improving teacher’s education, restructuring compulsory and upper secondary education, and developing a new national curriculum and a new national qualifications structure. Yet, Iceland needs to work on the implementation of these reforms and continue to strengthen upper secondary education in addition to improving and investing in pre-primary and compulsory education to increase its education attainment. (Summary of Strengths, Challenges and Policy Conclusions to Prevent Dropout from Upper Secondary Education in Iceland, OCED)
Icelandic law dictates that education is mandatory for children between the ages of 6 and 16; this a-lines with the first the first priority of the UN Global Education Initiative, which is putting every child in school. Most institutions are funded by the state and there are very few private schools in the country. This allows all students to attend school and get an education. The second stage in Icelandic education is compulsory education. Compulsory education is organized in a single structure system, where primary and lower secondary education form a part of the same school level. There is no tuition for compulsory education and students who complete compulsory schooling have access to upper-secondary education, regardless of their achievement. Students who desire to continue their education beyond the compulsory period are able to pursue programs of study of various forms in upper-secondary schools.
Even though all students make it through the compulsory education stage in Icelandic education, there are high dropout rates in their upper-secondary education schools. The OCED (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) is an international economic organization of 34 countries to stimulate economic progress and world trade. Iceland has partnered with the OCED to help improve the dropout rates for upper-secondary education. Icelandic students reach upper secondary education with high level skills, as measured by PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment). Yet, while Iceland has achieved progress, the country is currently facing challenges such as a decrease in the attainment of upper secondary education amongst youth and a high dropout rate and they have collected evidence that suggests that Icelandic students have the motivation to continue schooling, but there are different factors that may be hindering completion. (Summary of Strengths, Challenges and Policy Conclusions to Prevent Dropout from Upper Secondary Education in Iceland, OCED) In order to overcome these high dropout rates the Icelandic government had taken action to reform the educational system. One of the ways the plan to achieve this is by improving teacher’s education, restructuring compulsory and upper secondary education, and developing a new national curriculum and a new national qualifications structure. Yet, Iceland needs to work on the implementation of these reforms and continue to strengthen upper secondary education in addition to improving and investing in pre-primary and compulsory education to increase its education attainment. (Summary of Strengths, Challenges and Policy Conclusions to Prevent Dropout from Upper Secondary Education in Iceland, OCED)
Vibeke Jensen, the director of UNESCO New York, stated that Universal global citizenship education cannot be achieved unless all children have access to education. When looking at Iceland’s educational system, we can see that it is thriving and that they are taking action in areas that need improvement. The fostering of global citizenship in Iceland, according to Jensen’s statement is improving. All areas of the world could use help in this area, but if universal global citizenship can be achieved with children getting an education, Iceland is setting its citizens up for success. Life-long learning is a global concept, covering all education that individuals receive in the course of their lives.
Sources
Priorities. (2015, January 1). Retrieved March 24, 2015, from http://www.globaleducationfirst.org/priorities.html
Iceland - Educational System-overview. (2015, January 1). Retrieved March 24, 2015, from http://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/640/Iceland-EDUCATIONAL-SYSTEM-OVERVIEW.html
Miladinovic, M. (2015, February 1). Global Citizenship Education |. Retrieved March 24, 2015, from http://www.afs.org/blog/icl/?tag=global-citizenship-education
TOWARDS A STRATEGY TO PREVENT DROPOUT IN ICELAND. (2012, January 1). Retrieved March 24, 2015, from http://www.oecd.org/iceland/49451462.pdf
Priorities. (2015, January 1). Retrieved March 24, 2015, from http://www.globaleducationfirst.org/priorities.html
Iceland - Educational System-overview. (2015, January 1). Retrieved March 24, 2015, from http://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/640/Iceland-EDUCATIONAL-SYSTEM-OVERVIEW.html
Miladinovic, M. (2015, February 1). Global Citizenship Education |. Retrieved March 24, 2015, from http://www.afs.org/blog/icl/?tag=global-citizenship-education
TOWARDS A STRATEGY TO PREVENT DROPOUT IN ICELAND. (2012, January 1). Retrieved March 24, 2015, from http://www.oecd.org/iceland/49451462.pdf
Government system newsletter
oil production vs. Oil consumption
Oil Production: Iceland produces no oil
Oil Consumption: Iceland consumes 17.75 barrels of oil each day.
Summary:
Iceland does not produce any oil, but over the past 33 years Iceland, on average, consumes 17.75 thousand barrels of oil each day. In comparison to the world consumption of 89,721 thousand barrels a day, Iceland uses 0.02% of the world’s oil. This information can help develop a better sense of the where Iceland lies in social development. In fact, Iceland, in its effort to reduce dependence on imported oil and clean up its environment at the same time, is trying to become the world’s first petroleum-free economy. Because Iceland does not produce any oil of their own and the country can be influenced by the importation of oil to their country, this makes them dependent. But if Iceland is able to achieve a petroleum-free economy, it would make the country very independent!
Questions to Ponder:
What would the world look like if every country strived to have a petroleum-free economy?
If the consumption of oil in the world is greater than the production of oil, what does that mean for the future world?
Oil Consumption: Iceland consumes 17.75 barrels of oil each day.
Summary:
Iceland does not produce any oil, but over the past 33 years Iceland, on average, consumes 17.75 thousand barrels of oil each day. In comparison to the world consumption of 89,721 thousand barrels a day, Iceland uses 0.02% of the world’s oil. This information can help develop a better sense of the where Iceland lies in social development. In fact, Iceland, in its effort to reduce dependence on imported oil and clean up its environment at the same time, is trying to become the world’s first petroleum-free economy. Because Iceland does not produce any oil of their own and the country can be influenced by the importation of oil to their country, this makes them dependent. But if Iceland is able to achieve a petroleum-free economy, it would make the country very independent!
Questions to Ponder:
What would the world look like if every country strived to have a petroleum-free economy?
If the consumption of oil in the world is greater than the production of oil, what does that mean for the future world?
Questions to consider
• What will be produced with your countrty's resources?
• How will these goods be produced?
• Who will use these goods?
• Will these goods be exported?
1.) With Iceland’s resources agriculture and fishing (fisheries), hydroelectric power, geothermal energy, and aluminum.
2.) Fisheries are produced mostly with cod fish. Cod are the most important species harvested by Icelandic fisheries. Iceland’s geothermal energy came from a farmer, in 1907, who ran a concrete pipe from a hot spring that led steam into his home. Hydroelectric energies come from a local entrepreneur in 1904 who built the first hydropower plant and the idea for hydroelectric energy grew from there. Aluminum is the most important power-intensive industry in Iceland. It comes from Rio Tinto Alcan who operated the first aluminum smelter in Iceland.
3.) These goods will be used by the people of Iceland and the European Union.
4.) The good are mostly exported to the European Union, the United States, and to Japan.
• How will these goods be produced?
• Who will use these goods?
• Will these goods be exported?
1.) With Iceland’s resources agriculture and fishing (fisheries), hydroelectric power, geothermal energy, and aluminum.
2.) Fisheries are produced mostly with cod fish. Cod are the most important species harvested by Icelandic fisheries. Iceland’s geothermal energy came from a farmer, in 1907, who ran a concrete pipe from a hot spring that led steam into his home. Hydroelectric energies come from a local entrepreneur in 1904 who built the first hydropower plant and the idea for hydroelectric energy grew from there. Aluminum is the most important power-intensive industry in Iceland. It comes from Rio Tinto Alcan who operated the first aluminum smelter in Iceland.
3.) These goods will be used by the people of Iceland and the European Union.
4.) The good are mostly exported to the European Union, the United States, and to Japan.
A brief summary of the economic system of Iceland:
Iceland's Scandinavian-type social-market economy combines a capitalist structure and free-market principles with an extensive welfare system. The economy of Iceland is small and subject to high volatility. Iceland has a mixed economy with high levels of free trade and government intervention. However, government consumption is less than other Nordic countries.
Three key economic indicators:
In 2012, the number of Icelandic people at risk of poverty or social exclusion was the lowest in Europe. The poverty rate in Iceland was 12.7% but 25% in the European Union. The economy of Iceland is small and subject to high instability. The high instability is due to the financial crisis of 2007–2010, which produced a decline in GDP and employment. But the recovery from that crisis has produced a low poverty rate.
Iceland has more exported goods than imported goods. Iceland's economy is highly export-driven. Marine products account for the majority of goods exports. The United States on the other hand is more import-driven. The United States consists of about $2.272 trillion in exports and $2.744 trillion in imports of both goods and services. This makes Iceland more independent than the United States.
The labor force in Iceland consist of 178,800 in 2010. With a population of 323,002 people, 56% of Iceland’s population have stable jobs. Looking at the United States, with a population of 318.9 million, has 154.9 million in the labor force. There is 48% of the population in the labor force. Over half of Iceland’s population is contributing to the economy.
The GDP-per capita for Iceland is 14.62 billion dollars.