The aims of municipal primary and lower secondary school in Denmark
Danish primary and lower secondary education is based on the Danish Education Act. In its introduction, it states the following about the aims of primary and lower secondary education:
" ยง 1. "Section 1. Together with parents, primary and lower secondary school shall provide pupils with knowledge and skills that: prepare them for further study and give them the desire to learn more, make them familiar with Danish culture and history, provide them with an understanding of other countries and cultures, contribute towards their understanding for man's interaction with nature and promote the individual student's all-round development.
Section 2. Primary and lower secondary school must develop working methods and create a framework that promotes experience, absorption and enterprise so that students develop their imagination, sense of recognition and self-belief, thus enabling them to take a position and act.
Section 3. Primary and lower secondary school shall prepare the students towards participation, joint responsibility, rights and duties in a free and democratic society. School activities must thus be characterised by intellectual liberty, equality and democracy*.
Parents have influence in Denmark
Regardless of whether a child attends a municipal primary and lower secondary school or a private independent school, parents can gain influence at school level and become jointly responsible for their child's education. Private independent schools are self-governing institutions which are run by a parent-elected board. Primary and lower secondary schools have a board that includes school representatives and representatives elected by the parents themselves. Municipal authorities also cooperate with the teachers and parent representatives. The municipal authorities have the overall responsibility for school matters.
