Four Danish opposition parties are advocating for a national curriculum in public schools to address declining academic performance, violence, and increasing malaise. The Denmark Democrats, the Danish People’s Party, the Conservatives, and the Liberal Alliance believe a national curriculum will instill a greater sense of Danish community and provide students with a common foundation of knowledge.

The proposal suggests that 25 percent of academic subject hours should follow a national curriculum, focusing on Danish authors and cultural heritage. This curriculum would aim to shift the school’s focus away from solely preparing students for the labor market and towards a broader education rooted in Danish values and norms.

The parties suggest including the Muhammad cartoons as part of the curriculum, arguing it’s a vital part of Danish history and would provide teachers with support and authority in teaching the subject. While the specific content of the curriculum would be determined by professional teacher associations, the political parties emphasize that it should be based on fundamental cultural heritage, Danish culture, and history.

While acknowledging potential political debate, the parties assert that the school is already politicized. They believe it is their role as politicians to set a political direction for the overall framework of the curriculum, emphasizing that it should be grounded in bourgeois value policy.