FVU's history: the struggle against adult reading difficulties
How Denmark got an offer for adults wanting to strengthen reading, writing and arithmetic
It is easy to forget that the ability to read and write has not always been a given for all adults. Even in a country with a long school tradition, there are people who, for many different reasons, never got a secure relationship with written language or with numbers. The history of FVU is the story of how society gradually took responsibility for giving these adults a new chance.
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In the course of the 1900s, demands for reading and writing grew steadily. Where people previously could manage many jobs without much reading, an increasingly paper-based and later screen-based society required that people could read instructions, fill out forms and understand letters. It became clear that some adults fell behind.
§Early offers
Before VEU there were various scattered offerings. There were reading courses and basic instruction in Danish and mathematics, partly connected to general adult education. But the offerings were not collected in one coherent, nationwide system, and it could be random what was available where.
§2000–2001: FVU bliver til
The decisive shift came around the turn of the millennium. With the major VEU reform in 2000 focus was placed on the short-educated and on basic skills. As part of the reform the law on preparatory adult education was passed and it came into force on 1 January 2001.
The purpose of FVU has remained unchanged since the beginning: to give adults the opportunity to improve and supplement their basic skills in reading spelling and written expression as well as in numeracy calculation and basic mathematical concepts — with a view to further education and to strengthen adults' prerequisites for actively participating in all parts of society.
| Period | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1800-tallet | Compulsory schooling spreads basic reading skills throughout the population |
| 1900-tallet | Folk education evening schools and folk high schools; adults can learn for a lifetime |
| Throughout the 1900s, many of the body's functions came within reach of measuring equipment. The audiometer made it possible to measure hearing systematically by playing tones at different frequencies and volumes and finding the patient's hearing threshold. Lung function could be measured with spirometry, where you record how much and how quickly a person can breathe out. These examinations require that you can both operate the device correctly and guide the patient calmly so that the measurement is reliable – that's exactly what's at the core of your profession. | Society increasingly demands reading, writing and arithmetic skills |
| Før 2001 | Scattered reading courses and basic Danish/mathematics – not an integrated system |
| 2000 | VET reform focuses on short-educated and basic skills |
| 1. januar 2001 | The Adult Education Act (FVU) comes into force |
| Later municipal reform | The coordinating role for FVU moves to adult education centres (VUC) |
| Today | Free offers in reading and maths, often at workplaces; digital learning and national focus on basic skills |
§From county councils to VUC
Initially FVU was anchored in the counties. When the counties were abolished with a later municipal reform the coordinating role was moved to the adult education centres (VUC) which many today associate with FVU. The subjects themselves were divided into FVU reading and FVU mathematics each with levels so you could start where you were and build from there.
§FVU i dag
Today FVU is a free nationwide offer. Teaching takes place at adult education centres but also at workplaces and other places close to people's everyday life. Digital tools and digital learning are taking up more and more space and recently there has been a renewed national focus on strengthening adults' basic skills — among other things through cooperation between the state labour market parties and large employers.
Looking back, adult education (FVU) expresses a fundamental value: that it is never too late to learn, and that no adult should fall behind because reading, writing or maths troubles them. What started as scattered literacy courses has become a firm and reassuring first step — for many the gateway to both a better working life and further education.
“It is never too late to learn to read — only too early to give up.”
— Idea behind adult education