SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE NORDIC COUNTRIES MUST COLLABORATE WITH PUPILS
September 2025

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states that children must be taken seriously in all decisions that concern them. This applies not least in school. Children say that this makes school more motivating and gives life more meaning. Children must be collaborated with, in Norway, the Nordic countries and Europe. The Danish Primary School Act can be an inspiration for everyone, it states, among other things:

At each grade level and in each subject, teachers and pedagogues continuously collaborate with the individual pupil to establish the goals that are sought to be achieved. The pupil’s work is organised taking these goals into account. Determining work forms, methods and choice of materials shall, to the greatest extent possible, take place in collaboration between teachers, pedagogues and pupils.

In a Nordic project, with young people from Denmark, Sweden and Norway, we create films and online resources to explain why, and inspire to how, adults in schools can take their share of the responsibility for pupils to be collaborated with. The project then moves on to how children can be collaborated with in local and national decision-making processes.

Thank you to Danske Skoleelever (Danish School Pupils) and Unga Örnar (Young Eagles, Sweden) for an engaging and good collaboration so far!