A new educational policy objective in Denmark

The agreement to establish a new preparatory education programme in Denmark was made in October 2017 and the programme will accept its first students on 1 August 2019. In connection with the establishment of FGU, the decision was also taken to make the country’s 98 municipalities responsible for preparing young people to undertake upper secondary education or to enter employment. Municipalities thereby take on the responsibility for all young people under the age of 25 up until they have completed a course of upper secondary education and/or secured a steady position on the labour market. Support for young people is therefore offered as part of a municipal youth initiative which coordinates education, employment and social initiatives.

From a broader education policy perspective, the purpose of FGU is to help bring about a reality in Denmark in which all young people have completed a course of upper secondary education or entered into steady employment before the age of 25. The specific education policy objectives are:

• In 2030, at least 90 per cent of all 25-year-olds will have completed upper secondary education.
• In 2030, the proportion of young people under the age of 25 who have not completed upper secondary education or entered into the labour market will be half that of the current rate.
• FGU is a tool that the municipal youth initiative can use in order to meet these objectives.

The municipal youth initiative must work closely together with the FGU institutions. This collaboration will be based around the development of education and training plans. Such plans will be developed by the municipal youth initiative and will describe specific goals for the relevant young person. For example, if the student wants to undertake vocational training within carpentry, then these goals might be to improve communication skills and the ability to work with others. All young people under the age of 25 who have not completed or received an education and training plan are entitled to get one.

FGU is an overarching option for the entire target group

It is suitable for young people with different skills, abilities, desires and needs. The one thing that all FGU students have in common is that they are all in need of a new pathway into upper secondary education, vocational training or employment. Some may need to improve their academic qualifications so that they meet the entry requirements to upper secondary education. Others may need to develop personally or socially.

Young people must generally be under 25 yeas of age in order to fall into the target group for FGU. Young people are not suitable for FGU if they have already completed a course of upper secondary education or if they have a stable and lasting connection to the labour market. 

The young people who make up the target group for FGU have – for various reasons that are either personal, social or academic – not gone down the right path towards upper secondary education or employment. Bad experiences with the school system or other setbacks may have kept them from starting upper secondary education or entering employment. Many people in the target group will be in doubt as to what they can do and what opportunities they have. Many will even lack motivation for their futures.

Students in the target group for FGU also tend to have particular needs when it comes to support. The target group includes students with dyslexia, substance addictions, mental health problems and other personal and social challenges. Challenges that make them more likely to not complete upper secondary education.

Once the municipal youth initiative has assessed that a young person falls into the target group for FGU, the initiative should then submit an education and training plan to the relevant FGU institution. Against this background, the FGU institution will then work in collaboration with the individual young person to develop a course plan. Among other things, the course plan describes which track, general subjects, vocational subjects and levels the student should begin at.

Programme structure

FGU is structured so as to leave plenty of space for the different individual skills and needs of the students. The teaching approach is varied and is divided across three tracks within FGU:

• General basic education (AGU)
• Basic production education (PGU)
• Basic vocational training (EGU).

AGU offers practice-oriented instruction in general subjects and prepares students for vocational training or upper secondary education, e.g. the two-year higher preparatory exam programme (HF).  AGU consists of practice-oriented instruction in general subjects which aims to make abstract and theoretical concepts more tangible and relevant to real life. This typically involves a focus on projects or topics that allow the students to work in a way that brings theory and practice close together. The general range of subjects includes mathematics, Danish and English (see table).

The academic content within PGU is built up around workshop-based vocational subjects and aims to prepare students for further vocational training. Education within PGU consists of 2/3 production and 1/3 theory. This means that students in this strand both choose a vocational subject and also receive instruction in general subjects as Danish and Mathematics, for example.

EGU is for students who want to go on a work placement and acquire concrete experiences and competencies that will prepare them for the labour market or for further vocational training. EGU is an agreement-based internship that alternates between teaching hours and work at a local company. It is the municipal youth initiative which organises the work placement on behalf of the student. In parallel with their work placements, students in this strand also receive instruction in a vocational subject and in general subjects that are relevant to their placement. Education within EGU consists of 2/3 practice and 1/3 theory.

Within FGU, practice, production and work placements are, therefore, the central focal points, and all students experience a great deal of variation within their daily work at an FGU institution.

For most students, studies within FGU will begin with a basic level course that introduces them to a subsequent track of education and learning. Some will begin with an exploratory course while others will start directly on one of the three tracks: AGU, PGU or EGU.

The course of study undertaken by each student can be organised around 12 different vocational subjects and nine general subjects which are all offered at different levels. The vocational and general subjects are as follows:

The different levels available within FGU give students the opportunity to take exams in relevant subjects at levels which are equivalent to year 9, year 10 and to one level above year 10. Students can sit tests in general subjects within all three tracks at the G, E or D level. These are assessed using the seven-point scale. Within PGU and EGU, students can sit tests in vocational subjects at FGU level 3[1].

When a student completes a course that runs for a minimum of 12 weeks, they receive a certificate of competence. This certificate documents the academic, social and personal competencies that the student has acquired.

Exploratory courses within FGU

If a young person is assessed as being a potential FGU student but they are unclear as to which of the three tracks within FGU they should choose, the municipality can offer them an FGU exploratory course. Exploratory courses can be used to qualify the municipality's assessments that FGU is right for the young person in question. An exploratory course can last for up to two weeks.

Combination courses can build bridges to other education programmes

It is possible to combine studies within FGU with elements from formative upper secondary courses of education, workplace training programmes and not least vocational training programmes. This can be done through so-called combination courses, where students receive instruction at a vocational college or secondary school as part of their FGU programme. Combination courses give students the chance to become familiar with upper secondary education and the requirements placed on students at this level.

Education and community are both part of everyday life

FGU is designed to provide education within a strong youth environment. FGU institutions provide the framework for an attractive social life that offers excursions, sports and other social events. The institutions also promote a social environment through their canteens and meal programmes and through the production of food in the school’s production kitchen. The schools are committed to promoting health and good nutrition by offering one or several daily meals and introducing students to good habits in relation to exercise and their daily routines.

The programme’s length may vary

The municipal youth initiative will determine how long each young person’s programme will last. This decision will be based on an assessment of the young person’s academic, social and personal skills and abilities. In collaboration with each individual young person, the municipal youth initiative will establish goals for how the young person can develop their skills within FGU and for how much time this should take. Programmes within FGU can last for up to two years. It is possible to change track underway if a student changes their goals for education or employment. Such changes may, however, require approval from the municipal youth initiative.

The organisation of FGU institutions

There is a total of 27 FGU institutions across Denmark. On average, each FGU institution covers more than three schools divided across the 98 different municipalities in the country. Some institutions cover four or five schools, while others cover only one. It is the task of each FGU institution to divide those students assessed as being suitable for FGU by the municipality across the different schools in their area of coverage. It is also the task of the FGU institution to recruit teachers, managers and guidance counsellors who can create an open and safe culture for young people at the institution, build relationships with the students, vary the educational courses on offer and ensure cohesion between community and the individual. The FGU institutions are self-governing and receive funding from the state.

A new profession

With the establishment of FGU, the preparatory sector receives an independent form of institution and an independent training and education sector that can contribute towards strengthened professionalisation within the FGU target group. In Denmark, the sector for preparatory education and training has been characterised by diversity, and this is further reflected by the fact that no single or unifying profession is connected to the sector. Preparatory Basic Education shall create common professional norms centred around pedagogic and didactic efforts which, to a greater extent than before, are developed across disciplines and used to create knowledge on what works in terms of promoting motivation, clarity and learning and in terms of helping young people to move forward in their education and their careers.