The plan was actually to continue with my job as a nurse, and to travel back to Nicaragua. But when the future of the school in the village she grew up in was in danger, she put her dreams aside for a year. – The heart of the village is actually the main reason. I said I could when I realized that it was so difficult to get hold of someone, says Inga Synøve Maråk Vinje. She is a qualified teacher, but realized that it was not her dream profession. Instead, she took a new degree as a nurse, which she has just finished. But the following year, the school where she learned the alphabet, fractions and grammar became her workplace. – I think it will be fun. That was not the plan, so there will be a change, but I can put all my plans on hold for a year. At this school, Inga has many memories from her childhood. Now she will create new ones in adulthood. Photo: Solveig Nyhus Aksnes / news Major shortage of teachers And it is not just Geiranger that is struggling to find qualified teachers. According to the Education Association, almost one in five teachers lacks education, and it is not unusual for municipalities to have to advertise the positions several times in order to get hold of qualified teachers. Steffen Handal, head of the Education Association, says there is a big problem with finding qualified teachers. Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB – I would refer to that as a crisis, the pupils will not get a full-fledged education, says Steffen Handal, head of the Education Association. The teacher shortage is worst in Oslo municipality, but it is bad in the districts and in some central areas. – In the district there is a complete crisis in some places. We have schools where over 40 per cent of the teachers do not have teacher training. It is very, very serious. Advertised the position three times Stranda municipality had advertised the teaching position in Geiranger twice already. The first time the position was advertised there were three qualified applicants, all of whom declined. The second time there were no qualifiers. When Inga realized how difficult the situation was, she chose to submit an application the third time the position was advertised. – We are very pleased that people choose Stranda municipality as their future employer, says the councilor in Stranda municipality, Åse Elin Hole. What would have happened to the school if they had not been able to fill the vacant position is uncertain, says the mayor of Stranda, Jan Ove Tryggestad (Sp). – Then we would have had to have ordered someone to Geiranger, or sent the pupils to other schools. But our goal is clearly to have a school in Geiranger. It is absolutely essential to ensure a year-round community in the tourist village, he says. None are trained teachers, but have not worked like this permanently. Instead, she took a new education as a nurse. Photo: Solveig Nyhus Aksnes / news And even if Inga’s plans have been turned upside down, she is happy to move back home to the village she grew up in. – I think it will be fun. The young people in Geiranger are very nice people, I know many of them. It might make it both harder and easier.
ttn-69
Inga Synøve Maråk Vinje moved home to Geiranger to work as a teacher – news Møre og Romsdal – Local news, TV and radio
