Municipal adult education

Part of the public education system for adults, the municipally-run adult education system was established in 1968 with the aim of providing adults with skills at levels equivalent to 9-year compulsory school education (basic adult education) and upper secondary school education (upper secondary adult education). Continuation courses for participants educated to upper secondary or adult upper secondary level were also introduced.

Municipal adult education comes under the Education Act and the Municipal Adult Education Ordinance. The ordinance, which came into force on 1 January 2003, is based on the strategy and objectives set out in a government proposal approved by the Riksdag (the Parliament) in the spring of 2001. The Government's Adult Education Initiative, launched on 1 July 1996 and concluded in 2002, marked the start of a programme of extensive reform and renewal in a number of areas including municipal adult education.

Municipal adult education and upper secondary schools share the same curriculum. Although they may differ in terms of content, the goals of the national syllabuses for upper secondary adult education and upper secondary schools are also the same.

In addition, municipal adult education provides for the establishment of locally initiated courses to meet local or regional needs. Individual courses may also be organised within upper secondary adult education.

Under the ordinance, the content of municipal adult education is to be based on the needs and abilities of the individual. Support for adult learning may take the form of teaching, supervision, study guidance, or assessments of goal attainment or knowledge. Each learner is also given an individual study plan based on her or his abilities and life situation.

Educational activities must be distinguished by accessibility and flexibility in terms of time and location. They must be designed to take account of the knowledge and skills acquired by an adult in other contexts, such as her or his working and social life, so that validation of such knowledge and skills is an important starting point.

Municipal adult education may be designed in close cooperation with representatives of the infrastructure developed by local authorities along with other actors and stakeholders, such as employers and representatives of other policy areas. Introductory courses may be organised locally at basic or upper secondary level to provide opportunities for analysis, guidance and validation.

The purpose of basic adult education is to help adults acquire the knowledge and skills they need to take part in society and working life. It also aims to prepare adults for further study. Municipalities are required to offer basic adult education to all adults who lack skills normally acquired in the compulsory school system.

The aim of upper-secondary adult education in turn is to help adults gain knowledge and skills that correspond to levels set for young people at upper secondary school. When selecting from a pool of qualified applicants, precedence should be given to those with relatively little previous education.

The purpose of continuation courses is to train adults for new jobs or for a new level in their existing occupations. Learners may be awarded grades or certificates at all levels of municipal adult education. In certain cases, leaving certificates may also be issued.