The case in summary: At least 36 primary schools in Norway are directly threatened by poor municipal finances, according to an investigation carried out by news. Several municipalities warn that it may be appropriate to close schools. This happens in both small and large municipalities. The reasons are poor municipal finances, a lack of labor and falling pupil numbers. Parents are fighting against closure, and fear the consequences for both the children and the location of the school. The municipalities believe they must take unpopular measures now to adapt to the new reality. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. In the industrial village of Tyssedal in Ullensvang municipality, a monumental building sits at the top of the mountainside. Tyssedal primary school with its approximately 40 pupils. But now the school is one of several schools on the cut list for the administration in the municipality. They must both cut costs and adjust to a new future with fewer children. – I think it’s sad. We believe that one should rather focus on growing up and education instead of cutting, says head of FAU at Tyssedal primary school, Kristin Moe. Stine Marie Opedal Berg (left) and Kristin Moe promise to fight tooth and nail to keep the school in the village. Photo: Olav Røli / news Parents: We will fight tooth and nail The situation in Ullensvang is not unique. news has asked all 357 Norwegian municipalities whether they are planning school cuts for next year. Yes, is the answer from many. A calculation of the responses from 197 municipalities shows that at least 36 schools are directly unsafe. Many also answer that they should look at the structure again. Here are some of the cuts that have been assessed in Norwegian municipalities: Troms and Finnmark: Målselv municipality: Karlstad up-and-coming center and Mellembygd up-and-coming centre. Balsfjord Municipality: Laksvatn Upvekstsenter Nordland: Brønnøy Municipality: Has changed the school structure this autumn Saltdal Municipality: Considering looking at the school structure Trøndelag: Orkland Municipality: Lysheim School Skaun Municipality: Viggja Upvekstsenter Møre og Romsdal: Hustadvika Municipality: Will consider school structure in autumn Sunndal Municipality : Gjør opvekstsenter Fjord municipality: Move 17 junior school pupils from one school to another in the municipality. Innlandet municipality: Vestre Toten municipality: Due to the economy, I have to think about school structure, and one school may probably be closed. But not before 27/28 Tysnet municipality: The question will certainly come up before the budget processing due to the current financial situation. Vestland: Øygarden municipality: Six schools have been considered closed in the new school use plan 2024-2030. To be processed in December. Askøy: Five schools are tentatively included in the school use plan which is out for consultation. Alver municipality: Myking, Kløvheim, Eikanger and Austebygd schools are temporarily closed. Kinn municipality: Stavang school Tysnes municipality: Due to poor finances we have to consider structural changes. Fjaler municipality: We have to save, but no concrete measures have been put forward. Rogaland: Sola municipality: Håland and Sola school will be closed down. Sauda municipality: Shut down all and build a new one. Tysvær municipality: The municipality will revise the school use plan in 2025. Agder: Birkenes: Considering sending a change in school structure out for consultation. Do not treat politically. Vestfold and Telemark: Larvik municipality: Small schools are closed and moved to nearby schools where there is room. Skien municipality: No concrete proposals, but there will be a matter of school structure later in the autumn. Færder municipality: There will be a proposal for this next year. Viken municipality: Asker municipality: Solberg school, Hyggen school, Røyken secondary school and Folkestad school are closed down. Kongsberg municipality: Proposal to close three schools. A political case has not yet been presented. Flesberg municipality: Has already taken away all school structure, and is left with only one school. Moss municipality: We will engage an external company to look at the school structure. Porsgrunn municipality. I will propose it next year. The reason is poor municipal finances. But also a lack of labor and falling student numbers. This is an argument that meets with understanding, but not support among the parents in Tyssedal. Because already next autumn, their school could be history. – It will be sad, but I will fight tooth and nail. For us it will be a big burden if it happens so quickly, says Stine Marie Opedal Berg. Along Rv. 13 in Tyssedal, motorists should not be in any doubt about what the residents think. Photo: Olav Røli / news Many will close down Both primary and secondary schools throughout Norway are facing major changes in the coming years. Today, Tuesday, large demonstrations are planned in Innlandet against the proposal for a new school structure within the secondary schools. This happens in small municipalities, such as in Balsfjord municipality, where Laksvatn Upvekstsenter is at risk. But also in large municipalities such as Asker, where four schools are on the cut list. news also asked whether the submission to the state budget was going to change the proposal on school structure. – The state budget will probably affect our public authorities, but will probably not affect the municipal director’s assessment of the cases, Asker municipality states in the investigation. Demonstrated in vain At the southern end of Ullensvang lies Skare. That school is also on the cut list for the administration in the municipality. Again. – I am at a loss for words. Only four years ago we had the same struggle. Now I’m left with the feeling that everything is in vain, says Lars Olav Tverberg, who lives in the village with Nina Meland and their children Maren and Mikkel. A young population in the village of Skare is ready to fight for the school. They are already mobilizing. Photo: Private From their house, they only have a walk to school. But if the school runs, they have to send the kids along the dangerous Rv. 13 to Odda. – There is a reason why we have settled here with a big house and garden, and not in a town with less space, he says. Lars Olav Tverberg and Nina Meland, with Mikkel (5 months) in the pram, have settled in Skare to have a short distance to school. Photo: Olav Røli / news Red politicians: Von spiral Municipal council representative and leader of the local trade union in Ullensvang, Terje Kollbotn (R), does not like the development at all. He believes that cuts in the school sector will lead to a negative spiral. Villages are dying, and fewer people will move to, among other places, Ullensvang. – Then you will be in the same situation in a few years, and will have to invest more, he believes. Instead, Raudt wants municipalities to use all their efforts to get people to move out of the cities. The list includes, among other things, the same that Kvinnherad municipality used successfully. Namely a letter to everyone who had moved out, with questions about moving back again. – We want to expand the list with more points, and hope the rest of the municipal council will join us, he says. Trade union leader and politician from Raudt, Terje Kollbotn, is in Odda, and thinks closure is the wrong medicine. Photo: Olav Røli / news Ullensvang municipality: Action must be taken But the administration in Ullensvang municipality believes they must take unpopular action now, and not in five years. The municipality struggles both with falling pupil numbers, a lack of manpower, and changing needs for, among other things, municipal services. Anna Maria Kråkevik is the municipal manager for upbringing and education in Ullensvang, but has previously been principal at Tyssedal primary school. – This is not nice. We have many beautiful rural communities. But in Tyssedal, the number of pupils has fallen from 350 to around 40. There is also a sharp decrease in the number of pupils here in Odda, she says. The school in Tyssedal was the most modern in Norway when it was opened in 1919, according to Hardanger Folkeblad. Now the school may soon be history. Photo: Olav Røli / news She believes that one must accept the new reality and make changes. And shows that the new Ullensvang municipality has the same school structure today as they had before they became a large municipality. – We have to plan for what we see today, she says. Hello! Do you have thoughts after reading this case, or would you like to advise us about similar or other cases? Send me an email. Published 22.10.2024, at 06.52
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So many schools are at risk in Norwegian municipalities – news Vestland
