Education

Danish children and youngsters spend many years in school. A child who starts nursery school today will on average spend 16-17 years studying before attaining the final exam certificate.

Children begin to go to kindergarten when they're three years old, and when they reach five or six they're introduced to the real school.

Schools are free in Denmark and all children must go to school for nine years. More than half, however, choose to educate themselves further. Of those who continue studying, about half do some kind of vocational education, like hairdresser or car mechanic, while the other half typically choose high school. There are many who want to learn even more, and they go to university. Actually, it's possible to go to school for 20 years in Denmark, if you include a university education in your strategy.

It is forbidden by law for the teachers to hit pupils. Generally, the atmosphere is very relaxed and informal - for instance, you address your teachers by their first names, and no pupils anywhere wear school uniforms. You don't have to learn a lot by heart, either, because the teachers think it's more important to learn to talk to each other and communicate well.

Most Danish schools only have a brief lunch break, so everybody brings packed lunches to school.

Just like in many other countries, you have to learn languages other than Danish. English is the first foreign language pupils are taught. You begin to study English in the 4^th grade and continue to at least the 9^th grade. In grade 7-9 the schools must also offer classes in German, but it is also possible to give the pupils the choice between German and French.