A fifth column in an education system that supports Lifelong learning

An overview of Icelandic research and policy on adult education

Abstract

In recent years, adult education has increasingly been cited as the fifth pillar of the Icelandic education system. This has happened under the influence of the ideology of lifelong learning, or that education is and will be everyone’s lifelong project that it is society’s role to support citizens to pursue meaningful learning projects at all ages and the strengthening of a vibrant national net of adult education providers. However, in Iceland, adult education is only supported by laws, regulations and financial backing for a relatively narrow target group of adults. This fact led to the government’s decision to draft a new bill on adult education. This article is written as input into the discussion around drafting such a new law on adult education (is. Framhaldsfræðsla) under the auspices of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour. It describes the results of an analysis of prior research into adult education in Iceland from 1998 to 2023. It compares these results with Icelandic policy documents and some writings from international organisations on the future of education. The article depicts the results of an analysis of the c. 20 peer-reviewed research papers on adult education in Iceland from this period, about 60 master’s theses and ten relevant policy papers. The articles were analysed using discourse analysis. It shows that a persistent theme in Icelandic policy documents during this period is the will of governments to raise educational attainment in Iceland and to answer the labour market’s need for skilled workers. Around 2003, about 40 % of adults had not completed upper secondary education. Here, Iceland scored lower than the average in the OECD and much lower than its neighbours. Since then, the government has set the goal that only 10 % of the adult population should have a lower educational attainment than upper secondary education. Through various actions and offerings from 2003 and regulated by law from 2010, the educational attainment of Icelandic adults has risen. The largest portion of the state’s support for adult education has been dedicated to raising the education of this target group. Today, 21 % of adults have not completed upper secondary education. Interestingly, the documents analysed are silent about other possible target groups in need of education in adulthood, such as immigrants or other vulnerable groups and their learning needs. A substantial portion of the research describes participation patterns in adult education and provides background information concerning government policies to raise educational attainment in the country. Several of the master’s theses highlight the positive impact of the tools implemented by adult education centres and participants’ satisfaction with the possibilities provided. However, the adult education system does not reach all of its stated target groups. This article’s analysis of policy papers and current thought on the future of education, especially given new societal realities, suggests that the next Icelandic law on the education of adults needs to look more broadly at adult learning offerings, develop new ideas for lifelong learning and devise ways to support adult’s learning endeavours more broadly.