In Fauske municipality, children and young people have had to wait a long time to get a school place. – It’s stupid, of course. Ukrainian Saveliy wins it in 15 years. – Why do you think it’s stupid? – Well, because everyone should go to school, at least to learn a foreign language. Ukrainian Kristina, aged 16, nods affirmatively. Saveliy and Kristina have spoken to news via an interpreter. They think it’s stupid that they haven’t been allowed to go to school yet. Photo: Lars-Bjørn Martinsen / news The two are among over 400 refugees who have come from Ukraine to Fauske in Nordland, a municipality of 9,500 inhabitants. Robek municipality said it would settle 40 new refugees in 2023. UDI decided that they should accept over 400. Have the right to go to school With that, Fauske municipality increased its population by almost 5 percent. The first refugees arrived on 23 August last year. According to the Norwegian Education Act, children and young people have the right to a public primary school education. The obligation to primary school education starts when the stay has lasted for three months. This is what the law says § 2-1. Right and duty to primary school education Children and young people have a duty to primary school education, and the right to a public primary school education in accordance with this law and related regulations. The duty can be fulfilled through public primary school education or through other, equivalent education. The right to primary school education applies when it is likely that the child will be in Norway for more than three months. The right must be fulfilled as quickly as possible and within three months at the latest. If it is necessary because a large number of displaced children are coming from Ukraine, the ministry can issue regulations on an interim extension of the three-month deadline. The obligation to attend primary school begins when the stay has lasted for three months. The obligation is waived if a stay outside Norway lasts for more than three months. In special cases, the Ministry can exempt students from this obligation. Primary school education must normally last until the calendar year in which the child turns 6. If, after expert assessment, there is doubt as to whether the child has progressed sufficiently in his development to start school, the child has the right to delay the start of school by one year if the parents request it. After expert assessment and with written consent from the parents, the municipality can in special cases decide to delay the start of school by one year. If the parents apply for it or give their consent, the municipality can, after expert assessment, allow a child to start school a year earlier when they have reached the age of 5 by 1 April. The right and obligation to education lasts until the pupil has completed the tenth school year. After expert assessment and with the written consent of the parents, the municipality can decide to fully or partially exempt a pupil from the duty of education, if the care of the pupil so dictates. If a pupil is absent from compulsory education without having the right to do so, the parents or others who care for the pupil can be punished with fines if the absence is due to their having acted intentionally or carelessly. Source: Lovdata.no In Fauske, the municipal manager cannot answer exactly how long the children have been waiting to get a school place. – It is difficult to have an overview considering that the shop time varies so much and there is a large turnover at reception. This is according to Hans Fredrik Sørdal, who is the municipal manager for upbringing and education in the municipality. He adds: – Some may have been here for a month before they moved on, some may have been here for three months before they now get a school offer and some may have arrived last week. Photo: Lars-Bjørn Martinsen / Lars-Bjørn Martinsen/news He emphasizes that from Monday next week, all students who are entitled to school will receive tuition. – We have struggled to get hold of qualified personnel to go in and do the work to teach the pupils in the school. – But aren’t they concerned about not breaking the law, and thus find out how long they are here? – We are keen to get a qualified offer in place and we have done that as quickly as possible and it is now in place from next week. Those who come have the rights that follow Norwegian law, such as healthcare and school. When so many people arrive in such a short time, it puts pressure on the entire municipal apparatus that has to maintain the services. Here at Lundhøgda Camping, the cabins and barracks are used as asylum reception. Saveliy and Kristina live in the cabins on the left of the picture. They keep warm in the cold by having the plates on the boil. Photo: Lars-Bjørn Martinsen / news Several municipalities lack capacity Since the war in Ukraine broke out on 24 February 2022, Norway has taken in more refugees than our neighboring countries, according to Imdi. In a report from Imdi, employees in the refugee service confirm that many municipalities are now experiencing challenges related to the capacity to settle and integrate refugees. The report states that: 23 per cent of the municipalities answer that they do not have the capacity to house more refugees. 74 percent think they can accept some, but not many more. Sørdal in Fauske says that the municipality has done everything they can and that he now believes they are making a good offer for the children who live in reception and who have the right to a school place. But he does not hide that the road there could have been easier. – It is a huge challenge to create a school offer for up to 100 pupils overnight. That’s what we’ve got in our lap. – If you then assume that those who apply for positions with us have a notice period in other places, then it goes without saying that it will take at least three months before we have the advertisement ready. Believes that one must “share the burden”, Sørdal believes that the distribution should be more equal. – This is something that is governed by the state and then it is also the case that you should have a fairer distribution than what we now see with the way it is done. – Ultimately, it is the person in the classroom we are standing in. Then it is about delivering the best possible offer at any given time. It is local to Lundhøgda camping and motel which will house many of the 400 refugees who have come to Fauske municipality. Photo: Lars-Bjørn Martinsen / news According to Sørdal, it would have been easier to integrate the refugees into the training offer if there was a lower number of refugees. – When there are so many people on the run, isn’t it natural that it will be a very big task for Norwegian municipalities? – Yes, it is. So one must constantly strive to distribute the burden equally. But we are very clear that we will deliver a good offer over time to those who come and those who are forced to flee. UDI: – Understands that it is demanding Frode Forfang, outgoing UDI director, understands that Fauske has had challenges as a result of many receptions in a short time. – It is clear that for a municipality of Fauske’s size, it is a big challenge, and we take that into account when it comes to the future development of reception. He says today that UDI does not want individual municipalities such as Fauske to accept so many refugees in such a short time. Frode Forfang is outgoing director of UDI. Photo: Even Bjøringsøy Johnsen / news – Is it only Fauske’s responsibility if they break the law when it comes to the three-month deadline for giving refugee children schooling? – Precisely when it concerns the handling of education, it is not under UDI’s responsibility, but I understand that they are in a demanding situation when they receive many asylum seekers and a large reception capacity in a short time. – Should UDI rig this differently so that a municipality like Fauske does not receive so many refugees at once? – This is a bit demanding because when we establish new receptions and a lot of refugees come to Norway at once, we are in a situation where we have to establish receptions where there is capacity and facilities available for a reception. – But then we understand that you can reach a saturation point in a municipality. And that also means that if more receptions are to be established in this region, then we will take into account the situation that Fauske is in when we establish new receptions.
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Ukrainians Saveliy and Kristina do not get school offers – think UDI must take more responsibility – news Nordland
