Numbers of primary school students in Iceland have gone down since last school year, numbering 43,511 students in autumn 2008. There were also 135 children in classes for five year-olds at five schools (Icelandic children start compulsory education at age six and remain in ‘primary school’ until the age of 16).

There were 330 more primary school students in autumn 2007, which equates to around 0.7 percent – but the number of staff members working at primary schools has increased in that time.

In the autumn of 2008, there were 7,858 primary school staff members, mbl.is reports; which is 232 (3 percent) more than the year before.

The number of students peaked at 44,809 in 2003, meaning that the total numbers look likely to continue falling as larger year groups finish their primary education. Finding suitable education staff has been a problem over recent years, while low unemployment made the sector less attractive.

Despite the overall slight decline, the number of students whose mother tongue is not Icelandic continues to rise each year. In autumn 2008 there were 2,069 such students in primary education, which is 4.8 percent of the total. The numbers will continue to increase as older year groups with fewer such students begin to leave.

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