Cecilie Lykke Larsen and her husband moved to Hedalen in Sør-Aurdal municipality in 2017. They were looking forward to living a quiet life in the village furthest south in Valdres. The surprise was big when the children were about to start school. Because every Wednesday was a day off for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders. At the same time, SFO closed. – It is planned that one of the parents should be at home with the child every Wednesday, if a relative or other friend cannot do so. As immigrants, we have no one to stand up for us and have to take the day off. Few pupils at school Several municipalities in the country have a four-day school week for the youngest. Most in Vestland, Agder and Innlandet. Jon Kristian Sørmo is deputy director in the education section at the State Administrator in the Interior. He says the municipalities are free to set up the school week as decided by the municipal council, as long as they follow the law to have enough school hours throughout the week and the school year. Hedalen is a small hamlet in Sør-Aurdal municipality, with less than 80 pupils in the entire school. According to the bylaws for after-school education in the municipality, at least 7 pupils must sign up if there is to be any of the offer. And at the school in Hedalen, there have never been so many who signed up. – When there are only 74 pupils at the entire primary and secondary school in Hedalen, and around 20 at the three levels, it is a high demand, says Cecilie Lykke Larsen. She thinks the municipality should offer people after-school on Wednesdays anyway. She says this has major consequences for society as a whole. – It has major consequences for the whole of society. In this way both the social differences and the divide between those who “are from here” and us who are residents increase, says Cecilie Lykke Larsen. She says that the hamlet has marketed itself with enthusiasm. Lykke Larsen fears this could mean that fewer people will want to move to the village. – I think many families with children from larger cities will have more doubts about moving here if the municipality continues with the arrangement we have today, she says. – Cements old roles Cecilie Lykke Larsen also believes that this arrangement leads to an old-fashioned gender role pattern. – It is often the case that the women stay at home on Wednesdays. There will be a lot of involuntary part-time, which means that the ladies will receive less pension in the end. She gets support from another mother in Hedalen, Benedicte Fossholm. She is also the chief trustee for the nurses in Sør-Aurdal and says she has raised the matter with the management in the municipality on several occasions. – The system cements old gender roles. People are forced to work part-time or they have to take inconvenience shifts every Wednesday to make the week work together. And if you have several children, you risk working part-time for many years, which will lead to a loss of pension points. SUPPORTERS: Benedicte Fossholm is chief shop steward for the nurses’ union in Sør-Aurdal. She says that the scheme with four days of school both cements old gender roles and part-time positions in professions where most women work. Photo: Privat Even if many employers in the municipality are aware of the scheme and know that parents of young children would like to have Wednesdays off, Fossholm is critical of this. – We in the Nurses’ Association want more full positions, says Benedicte Fossholm. Want to see change Municipal manager for upbringing and culture in Sør-Aurdal, Inger Randi Islandsmoen Kleven, understands that parents may find it difficult to get the week going. IT COSTS MONEY: Municipal manager Inger Randi Islandsmoen Kleven says that after-school on Wednesdays becomes a financial issue. Photo: Inger Johanne Solli / news – But it is mainly the economy that governs that the after-school center is closed. It will be expensive to have an open after-school program for few children. Mayor Marit Hougsrud (Sp) in Sør-Aurdal thinks many people are very happy about Wednesday. She herself has had Wednesdays off for several years, with four children. – But we see that society is changing, and the time is probably ripe for us to take a thorough look at the scheme. She says they will now first look at the bylaws for after-school care, then figure out whether the children in the small school in the municipality will attend 5 days, which is the norm for the vast majority of children in small school in Norway. LOOKING FOR CHANGE: Mayor Marit Hougsrud (Sp) in Sør-Aurdal says they will now sort out both after-school care and a four-day school week for the youngest. Photo: Inger Johanne Solli / news
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Hedalen school without offers for children in the primary school. Cecilie Lykke Larsen is critical of this – news Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio
