Page 8 - Educational-Iceland

the actors responsible, but most innovations in the field of guidance have occurred when
ministries, professionals and the social partners have combined resources.

In April 2003, the Icelandic Educational and Vocational Guidance Association agreed at its
1
general meeting that the tasks of counsellors were to be the following :

l receiving new pupils/students. Students will be introduced to the school and its study
paths, teachers and older pupils/students (possibly a students’ association). The working
order of the school will be explained as well as the rules, services and social activities;

l co-operation between homes and schools. In order to increase this co-operation,
students’ legal guardians will be introduced to the school. Such introduction will be
carried out in co-operation with teachers and other staff, older pupils/students, and
parents’ associations. If parents need further assistance, they will be offered interviews
and guidance;

l assistance with finding a job (specifically for counsellors in workplaces and/or
in employment services). Job seekers will be assisted by offering them help in getting 2. Guidance in compulsory schools
an overview of their possibilities in the labour market and advised on how best to conduct
themselves while looking for a job, writing job applications and how to prepare and behave
during a job interview. Compulsory education, which extends to primary and lower secondary levels and covers
children aged 6-16, is regulated by the Compulsory School Act number 91/2008. It is
More detailed working guidelines can be found in an annex. possible for students to take courses at upper-secondary school level during their lasts two
years in compulsory schools if they have shown that they are able to master the subjects in
question.

According to the Compulsory School Act, all compulsory school students have the right to
educational and vocational counselling, provided by specialists in the field. In the same
legislation, it is stipulated in the National Curriculum, set by the Ministry of Education,
1 Neither the government nor the municipalities have officially accepted these as the (only) tasks of counsellors and they should
therefore be viewed more as unilaterally accepted working guidelines.
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