The White Falcon - 22.04.1983, Side 5

Keflavik, Iceland SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT 5
Free tuition through university
The Icelandic school system can be traced
back to 1056 A.D. and forms a continuous line to
the present day. Its form has changed through
the years, but the standard has remained con-
sistently high. In 1800 it was reckoned most of
the population could read—today Iceland still
has the highest literacy rate in the world.
Traditionally education was based on two
main themes. One is the custom of teaching
reading, writing and arithmetic to young child-
ren at home. The second is to teach the most
gifted at centralized schools to an advanced
level so they could take either leadership posi-
tions or go on to university education.
Before Iceland established a university of its
own (in 1911) students had to travel abroad for
their final education. But the story of Iceland,
ever since regaining control of its affairs from
Denmark, has been one of constant improve-
ment and expansion.
The system starts with nursery schools giving
a basic pre-school education. Primary schools
starts at age seven and such schools exist in
practically every community in the country-
including the most remote. Here the subjects
taught include Icelandic, writing, arithmetic,
elementary social studies, religion, history, geo-
graphy, biology, physics and chemistry, Danish,
English, handicrafts, art, music, and physical
education.
Secondary education starts at age 13 and is
divided into two parts. The first two years, which
is compulsory, has all the same subjects as in
primary school, but at a higher level, plus higher
mathematics, domestic science and more lan-
guage experience. In addition, emphasis is laid
on streaming students into various skill areas.
Although the core of subjects is compulsory,
students choose whether they would prefer to
specialize in the arts and languages, the scien-
ces, commerce or practical trades. In essence
the lower secondary level provides the basis for
further study at institutions specializing in pre-
paring people for six categories of higher educa-
tion: pre-university college, special vocational
schools, technical schools, adult education
schools, art and music schools, courses or folk
high schools of the Scandinavian pattern. These
six types of schools comprise the upper level of
secondary education. The majority of students
elect to continue at school until they have com-
pleted this stage. Many, however, drop out
before completing their studies, leaving about
one-quarter who make it all the way to university.
The University of Iceland has six faculties:
theology, medicine, law, economics, philosophy
and a joint faculty for engineering and natural
sciences. It confers degrees from B.A. and B.S.
level in all departments up to a Ph.D. in most.
All tuition, including the university, is free of
charge. But students at all levels of non-compul-
sory education are expected to buy their own
text books. Subjects not available at the Univer-
sity of Iceland can be studied by Icelanders
abroad. Government-backed loans are available
for such studies.
Free education for all Icelandic children is canpulsory until age 15. Today
Iceland has the highest literacy rate in the world.
Socialized medicine, expensive but effective
A little over 20 percent of Iceland’s national
budget is spent on health care. The cost, in
terms of money, is high. The benefits, in better
quality of life and national productivity, are
higher.
Socialized medicine is central to the nation’s
system of welfare. It embraces pre-natal care
and care for the elderly—and everything in
between, including preventive as well as cura-
tive medicine, rehabilitation, sanitation, and educa-
tion in health affairs.
With centuries of harsh living conditions and
endemic health problems behind them, it is
hardly surprising Icelanders voted for health
care for themselves as soon as they were able.
Even before the University of Iceland was found-
ed, a School of Medicine was established in
1876—only two years after the Althing (parlia-
ment) had been given legislative authority and
control of the nation’s financial affairs.
Some of the country’s hospitals were founded
with outside aid. For instance, Catholic missions
established small hospitals in a number of com-
munities, a few of which still operate independ-
ently of, but in conjunction with, the national
system. However, most hospitals were built in
response to local demand. A clinic would be
established to deal with local problems; a central
yard would be built to handle special cases; and
before long a hospital had been founded.
There was also a direct relationship with con-
ditions prevailing at the time.. Infant mortality
was above 10 percent of live births at the turn of
the century. Improved pre-natal care, midwifery
and nursing education and care was to bring
that rate down (at present it is less than 0.8
percent). In 1896 there were 237 lepers in Ice-
land (about 3.2 cases per 1,000 population). A
lepers’ hospital was opened in 1898 and the
resulting campaign completely eradicated the
disease in the country. Hydatid disease (result-
ing from cysts caused by tape worms) was
endemic in bygone ages. Measures to prevent
the spread of this included public information
on the mode of transmission, restrictions on
keeping dogs (still in force), and the prevention
of dogs having access to sheep offal. The dis-
ease is now extinct in Iceland.
Infectious diseases have also been virtually
eradicated through improved hygiene, vaccina-
tion, better sanitation and a high level of public
health inspection. Thus Iceland has had no
cases of typhoid fever since 1947, diptheria has
been successfully controlled (no cases since
1953) and poliomyelitis is no longer a problem.
In addition, prior to 1932 the mortality rate of
tuberculosis was 200 per 100,000 population,
now it is less than 2 per 100,000.
Icelanders pay for their health scheme through
state and local income taxes. In return they get
full medical coverage. A small maternity grant
ensures all Icelanders are born equal. The grant
pays the cost of delivery in a maternity home,
with a little money left over for such things as a
cot, baby clothes and a feeding kit. The result:
over 99% of deliveries occur in hospitals. There-
after, until the age of 16, trips to the doctor are
free. At school every child is examined regularly
by appointed doctors and dentists (all schools
also have registered nurses assigned), again
until the age of 16. The coverage includes every-
thing medically necessary—including surgery—
and is free of charge.
Once 17, the child is considered an adult. As
such, he or she will be expected to pay a min-
imum charge for doctors’ consulting fees either
at the surgery or because of a house call. (The
fee is less than $5.) Should hospitalization be
necessary, that too is free—including surgery,
tests, treatment, drugs, food and bed.
The elderly are taken care of in special homes—
but only if this is considered necessary for the
individual. Originally, old peoples’homes tended
to be institutional in concept. These days the
emphasis is on small apartment-like units so the
individual or couple have the privacy needed,
but built into a complex which includes a dining
area, resident nursing care—and probably an
infants’ day care center so the elderly can take
part in community affairs.
The end result is a nation of higniy active
people who remain in good health and who are
productive well into their seventies. The cost in
kronur may be high, but the benefits are what
the Icelanders keep voting for.
Life expectancy
a record breaker
In the 1860s the average Icelandic male could
expect to live until he was 31 years old. Women,
being stronger, had a life expectancy of 35
years. Part of the reason for the low life expec-
tancy was living conditions: unheated houses; a
damp; cold climate; and a poor diet. The other
main reason must have been health care, medi-
cines and sanitation.
Statistics for 1979-1980 showed the average
life expectancy of Icelandic men was 73.7 years;
while women were expected to live until they
were 79.7 years. For both men and women this is
a world record.
To back up these statistics, figures from offi-
cial sources put Icelandic health care at the fore-
front of modern medicine. There are more than
16 hospital beds per 1,000 inhabitants; the aver-
age length of stay in hospital for patients is
about 17 days—which includes a certain amount
of convalescenceunder medical attention.There
is also more than one doctor per 500 inhabitants.
All of these figures are among the highest in the
world.