Ragnar Þór Pétursson, a teacher and former chair of the Icelandic Teachers’ Union, has criticised plans to make mathematics a priority area in Iceland’s education system.
The Ministry of Education and Children recently identified mathematics teaching materials as a primary focus for the next three years following an assessment of their current state. Meanwhile, according to Pétursson, the country’s most pressing educational challenge is declining reading comprehension and the transmission of the Icelandic language between generations.
What’s the Story?
Original source: RÚV
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- Ragnar Þór Pétursson says weak reading comprehension is a greater challenge than mathematics in Icelandic schools.
- He criticises successive education ministers for pursuing short-term priorities instead of long-term reform.
- The expert argues that broader access to Icelandic-language books and digital content is essential to preserve Icelandic as the language of education.
Language Before Maths
Ragnar said the ministry’s approach was too narrow, arguing that shortcomings in educational materials extend well beyond a single subject. He also questioned the decision to prioritise mathematics, noting that Iceland performs considerably better in mathematics than in reading and science in international PISA assessments.
As the scholar points out, the fundamental problem in the Icelandic education system lies in reading comprehension. “We have failed to pass the language on between generations,” he says.
Ragnar said the past eight education ministers had each addressed only part of the wider challenge, which is to preserve Icelandic as the country’s language of education. According to the expert, too many young people increasingly acquire an advanced vocabulary through English rather than Icelandic.
He called for greater public investment in Icelandic-language resources, including audiobooks, which have become unaffordable for many families. Earlier generations, he argued, ensured equal access to literature through public libraries, whereas access to Icelandic-language content has increasingly become dependent on household income.
Additionally, Ragnar said maintaining Icelandic as a living public language requires sustained investment, adding that the country has neglected that responsibility over the past 15 to 20 years.
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