Eurydice

Norway has made it easier for foreign-trained staff to work in kindergartens by updating qualification rules.

Applications to recognise foreign early childhood qualifications in Norway have risen sharply in recent years, but approval rates remain low. The new rules aim to help more qualified workers enter the sector while keeping standards high.

Under the new rules, applicants now need just six months of relevant experience, down from previous requirements. This change will be introduced in two stages:

In July 2025, the Flemish Government approved €176 million to upgrade digital infrastructure in schools under its new ICT policy plan, Digiplan. The funding will provide high-quality equipment for staff, shared devices for primary schools, and flexible support for secondary schools, with a focus on sustainability, inclusion, and teacher training.

The Danish government has signed a tripartite agreement with local councils, Danish Regions, the Danish Trade Union Confederation (Fagbevægelsens Hovedorganisation – FH), and the Union of Public Employees (Forbundet af Offenligt Ansatte – FOA). The deal aims to improve care quality in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC), elderly care and hospitals by increasing the number of qualified staff.

The Swedish Government is reforming teacher education to better prepare students for classroom work, with stricter admission requirements, increased funding per student, and a revised programme curriculum.

Teacher education programmes need to better equip students for classroom challenges. Therefore, the Swedish Government is reforming teacher education by introducing stricter admission criteria, updated programme content, and increased collaboration between universities.

In July 2025, the Flemish Government introduced ‘Every Child a Language Hero’ (Leder kind taalheld), a strategy to improve Dutch language proficiency across Flanders. This initiative responds to continuing concerns about declining language outcomes, as shown in national and international assessments, and focuses mainly on early childhood and primary education, with additional targeted support for secondary schools.

In October 2025, the National Council of the Slovak Republic approved comprehensive school law reforms, marking the most significant changes in recent years. Key areas impacted include school districts, administrative workload reduction, funding for Church and private schools, mathematics instruction, protection of teachers' mental health, and new legal implications for parental cooperation.

Research shows that physical activity during the study day supports pupils’ and students’ learning, concentration, wellbeing and engagement. At the same time, insufficient physical activity remains a major challenge: Only about one third of Finnish children and young people meet the recommended levels.

Recent legislative changes allow career changers to undertake necessary temporary employment partly outside of educational institutions, enhancing flexibility in their transition into the education sector.

High-quality early childhood education is vital for supporting children before they enter primary school, as it lays the foundation for equal opportunities in developing their potential. Accordingly, the Slovak government approved an amendment to the Education Act to introduce earlier compulsory enrolment in pre-primary education.

The "Security and Prevention" programme was launched for the 2025-2026 school year in Belgium's German-speaking community. This new educational path aims to fill skilled worker gaps in vital security professions such as police, military, and fire services.

In response to the shortage of skilled workers in security professions, a new field of study called "Security and Prevention" was introduced for the first time at a secondary school in the German-speaking community of Belgium during this school year.