The case in summary In recent years, the number of applicants to folk universities has decreased. More and more young people decide to go to secondary school for only half a year. Some believe that this may be a result of young people today being stressed and feeling under pressure to start studying or work. The UNG2024 survey shows that many young people are worried about work and education. – First day of school in the new year, we just had to jump in! 20-year-old Tuva Gjerdrum Vatland doesn’t just talk about the bath the students at Sogndal folk high school take every month in the icy fjord. Most of the students at the school started in August and had already gotten to know each other well. When Tuva and a bunch of other students started in January, they also had to jump into the established “people’s university bubble”. She is not alone. In recent years, fewer young people have applied to public university. At the same time, on a national basis, more people are applying for half-year courses. While the Norwegian University of Applied Sciences only had 32 applicants for the half-year course in spring 2020, the number this year was 245. At the same time, the number of students attending a full year has gone from 7,595 to 6,277, according to the Information Office for the Norwegian University of Applied Sciences. WELL RECEIVED: Vetle Wyspianski Liaset (19), Alexander Rosen (19) and Tuva Gjerdrum Vatland (20) were well received when they started midway through the school year. Photo: Henning Levold / news Too much with another year off – I feel a bit like I’m lagging behind, even though I realize I’m not actually doing it, says Tuva. She really enjoyed herself at folkehøgskule, but I think half a year at folkehøgskule is enough. – Now I have spent half a year taking up subjects in order to enter the study program I want to enter. One whole year more before I start studying will mostly be done. It’s okay to just start studying. Schoolmate Vetle Wyspianski Liaset knows something of the same. – I have worked for half a year, and in the autumn I am going to join the military. Then half a year at Folkehøgskule is a good fit. One more year off after the military will probably be too much. CLEAR PLAN: After six months at Folke høgskule, Vetle will spend a year in the military. Alexander has a study place in the USA that is waiting. Photo: Henning Levold / news Stressing youth Dorte Birch points to the fact that more people know about half-yearly courses as part of the explanation. She is the day-to-day manager of the Information Office for the folk university. At the same time, she also believes that many young people feel stressed. – Many feel they have a bad time and think they have to start work or study straight after leaving school. THINKS A LOT OF STRESSES: Dorte Birch believes that many of the students who, after six months of the course, regret their choice of study. Photo: Svein Finneide / Svein Finneide She believes one of the reasons for the large increase in half-year students comes from the fact that many regret the choice they make. – Many people start an education that turns out to be wrong for them and drop out. Then a six-month course at Folkehøgskule might be a good fit before you leave again. – Demanding to be a young person The principal of Sogndal folk high school, Ole Karsten Birkeland, also believes that young people are more stressed than before and that this may be part of the explanation for why more people want to attend half-year courses. – War, expensive times, uncertainty and influence from society probably make it demanding to be young today. The report UNG2024 shows that 40 per cent of young people aged 15-25 are worried about not getting the job they want. 42 percent worry about school and education. It is the youth in Oslo who are most concerned. The headmaster would like to see more people take a full year at the school, but is happy to also be able to offer half-year courses. – For many people, it is very practical to be able to take half a year at Folkehøgskule. We are happy to be able to offer that and I think many people will have a very nice six months with us.
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A record number only go to folkehøgskule for six months – news Vestland
