The case in summary Bodø municipality plans to cut school and nursery services to save money. The municipality has sent letters to the schools and kindergartens with questions they want to ask the children about how the municipality will solve the money crisis, which has met with criticism. The letter also contains technical information about the municipality’s financial situation and the background to the cut proposals, in addition to questions that both the trade union and the parents’ committee believe the children cannot answer. Several believe that the municipality runs a sham process, where the answers from the children will not influence the decision about cuts anyway. The municipality believes they have involved the affected parties well. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – We are mildly shocked. We didn’t think it could get any worse, says Karina Vertot, chief shop steward in the Education Association, Bodø municipality is planning cuts in both school and nursery services to save money. But along the way, the municipality has encountered some speed bumps. The original decision was revoked by the State Administrator because consideration for the children’s best interests was not particularly clear in the case investigation. The solution was to send a letter to the schools where the municipality asked the students for advice on how to solve the money crisis in school policy. A letter the teachers thought was completely incomprehensible. Now the municipality has done the same with the affected kindergarten children. And again the criticism hails. – We are all for the children being allowed to participate and have their say in matters that concern them. But these are very big, complicated questions, says Karina Vertot in the Education Association. The letter sets up conversations with the pre-school children. Here, the municipality wants the children to be asked, among other things, what is the worst thing about the kindergarten and how many children they think should be included in a gathering time. The kindergarten children are asked to answer this: What is the best thing about the kindergarten What is the worst thing about the kindergarten? What would happen if many new children entered the ward? How do you think it would be to move to another nursery school? How many children do you think there should be in a meeting time, outside, playing, on a trip etc. What happens if there are too many/too few? The younger children in the nursery would be heard through the parents as representatives for their own children. The letter also contains a good deal of technical information about the municipality’s financial situation and the background to the cut proposals. Vertot finds it strange that only two kindergartens have received the letter from the municipality. Photo: Synnøve Sundby Fallmyr / news – Our members who work in the kindergartens in question have abandoned all the technical information, says Vertot. The Education Association was not informed of the letter until Monday. By then, the kindergartens had already completed the survey. – We are strongly critical of what has happened. We have not been allowed to contribute anything, neither employees nor union representatives in this process. We react strongly to that. It is not just the Education Association that questions the municipality’s involvement in the children. – Stupidest thing I’ve heard Tommy Karlsen is head of SU at one of the affected nurseries, Bjerkenga nursery school. He believes that it is completely out of the question to talk to children in the nursery about the contents of the document. He also doesn’t have much to spare for any of the questions in the survey. – That is the stupidest question I have heard, he says, referring to the question of what is the worst thing about going to kindergarten. Karlsen explains that the very youngest children in the nursery cannot answer the content, and that then it is the parents who have to answer. – What do you think about the process? – This is a leather process. The decision seems to have been made, and I don’t think what we or the children answer will matter. The municipality must have documentation and will force through the changes anyway, replies Karlsen. This is stated in the Constitution on the best interests of children, section 104 second paragraph of the Constitution: Children have a right to respect for their human dignity. They have the right to be heard in matters concerning themselves, and their opinion shall be given weight in accordance with their age and development. In the case of actions and decisions affecting children, the child’s best interests must be a fundamental consideration. Not the way you do participation – It may appear that the municipality has a general lack of competence in participation with children and young people. That’s what Aina Landverk Hagen says at the Labor Research Institute at OsloMet – the metropolitan university. She is speaking on the basis of news’s news story about the document that was sent out to the schools in Bodø, and her own research on youth participation. Hagen believes Bodø municipality’s letter is a school example of how not to do that. – We often see that it is teachers or youth workers who are told to ensure the participation of children and young people for whom they are responsible. Those who are to receive the input, who tend to sit a little higher up in the hierarchy, are less often present. Photo: Katrine Ziesler / OsloMet – It is the municipality’s responsibility to make participation relevant and understandable for all involved. It is clearly stated in the legislation that the municipality has a special responsibility when they want participation from groups that need facilitation, such as children and young people. The teachers must do their part in making it educational. According to Hagen, it does not look as if Bodø municipality is putting in the effort required to make participation real. She wonders if the municipality has a plan for how they want to use the input – and if the children get feedback on this. – Participation must also be voluntary, but there are not that many children or pupils in the school who feel they can opt out when a teacher or principal asks for input, says Hagen and adds: – Here the municipality must tread extra carefully, and make a extra effort to make it easy and possible for teachers to use their pedagogical expertise. – It feels very stupid and scary because if I start at another school it will be a long way to school with a lot of traffic, says Maja, who is a student at Hunstad School. Photo: Sofie Retterstøl Olaisen / news – I have already had to change schools once, because I was bullied. Now they want me to change schools again. Then I still have a long way to school, says pupil Øyvind Johan Fagermoen. – We would like both schools to be allowed to be. The municipalities have spent too much money, and now they are taking from the youngest, says Noah Simonsen Sandberg, who goes to Hunstad school. – The politicians have spent a lot of money on something they didn’t need to spend money on, says Temesgen Merhawi, who is a student at Hunstad school – The politicians should spend the money on what is useful instead of spending it on swimming pools and town halls. The children are the future of Bodø municipality, says Imre Nordahl Amundsen, who goes to Hunstad school. – There are many children whose journey to school is far too long, and they destroy many friendships when they close a school. In addition, they pit the districts against each other. It is unfair, says Frida Volden, who goes to Hunstad school. – We want the school in our village. Now the politicians want us to go to school in Tverlandet. For some of us, it’s a three-hour journey every day, says Artur Niklas Kåkonen, who goes to Saltstraumen school. – The school and nursery are the most important things we have. The municipality has spent a lot of money. Now it will be a dangerous way to school for us because of that, says Muhammed Altzetinawi at Hunstad school. – It has not been more than half a year since the children in our nursery had to change nursery. Now they are going to shut it down too. It is only a small amount of money they save in relation to how much money they have spent, says Tiril Losvik, who is the head of Mesiosen nursery school. – Our nursery school has been proposed to be closed. It is a large, well-functioning nursery school which is currently full. The children become innocent pawns in this, says Rebekka Larsen Finnbakk, who is both a parent and educator at Rensåsen kindergarten. Gets relevant input – A requirement for children’s participation is that they must have an honest description of the situation they must have views on, writes Elin Eidsvik in an e-mail to news. She is department director for upbringing and culture in Bodø municipality. – This is clearly stated in the guidance on children’s best interests assessments. Furthermore, it is not the case that the questions must be answered. These are the specified topics that you want the children to be invited to talk about. Eidsvik clarifies that the conversation must be adapted to age and maturity level. She also writes that the municipality experiences that the children give relevant feedback. – We have wanted a dialogue with managers, shop stewards and parents about how we are going to meet the requirement from the State Trustee to safeguard children’s voice and participation. Photo: Lene Kristine Torgersen / Bodø municipality I think they involve the parties well Eidsvik further writes that the letters that have been sent out are based on support from many bodies including Bufdir, the Elevorgamissionen and the Directorate of Education. – We also have several well-established arenas for student participation. Among other things, we conduct student conferences, town hall meetings, and involve student councils and classes. – Both the Children’s Ombudsman’s supervisor, but also supervisors from the Directorate of Education, the Civil Ombudsman, the Student Organization, Redd Barna and Bufdir. Bodø municipality also receives guidance from the state administrator, writes Eidsvik. Photo: Sofie Retterstøl Olaisen / news It has been important for the municipality to also involve the kindergartens that may be affected by cuts in this process. She refers, among other things, to a meeting on 6 September where information was said to have been given about the implementation of children’s participation. When asked why the Education Association was not informed about the letter to the kindergartens, Eidsvik replies as follows: – Bodø municipality has involved the directors of the kindergartens since they are the ones who must implement children’s participation. We have regular meetings with shop stewards where such requested information can be provided, writes Eidsvik. The school and kindergarten plan was originally to be processed in October. On Tuesday, the municipality announced that the nursery and school needs plan has been postponed, and is ready for processing in December. Published 26/09/2024, at 17.33
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Bodø municipality receives criticism. Ask children what is the worst thing about going to kindergarten – news Nordland
