The government proposes lowering the standard of Danish education for immigrants with limited abilities, and experts criticize the move.

Regarding its wide-ranging proposal to make 37-hour work mandatory for migrants (and refugees), the government intends to lower the Danish education level for those with limited ability to learn Danish, according to a memorandum prepared in connection with the negotiations on the 37-hour work week, as reported by Dagbladet. The memorandum states that the Danish education level 1 will be lowered, and consequently, the last unit will be eliminated. 

Danish Education 1 is designed for people under the Integration Act who cannot read and write in their native language or are not proficient in the Latin alphabet. In 2020, approximately 5,600 participants enrolled in this course.

In a written response to the source, Foreigners and Integration Minister Matthias Zweig stated that “reorganizing” education ensures it is better adapted to the target group, while also noting that the government believes the language should be learned elsewhere “other than in school.”.

Lars Nordborg, chairman of the board of Danish Language Centres, describes the plan to cut Unit 6 from Danish Education 1 as “catastrophic.” He points out that women are the primary students enrolled in Danish Education 1, as many refugees and migrants come from countries where girls do not attend school, adding: “They are the most vulnerable group. This means more people will stop at a lower language level, and this will have repercussions for gender equality and employment.”.

Another employment expert added that this has consequences for the process of finding a long-term job.