Last week, news wrote about Nilofar Hussaini (28), who did not complete his education in Afghanistan when the Taliban came to power. She didn’t get that either after she moved to Svolvær. As the only county in Norway, in Nordland you have to be younger than 25 years old to even get a physical place on the school bench. Hussaini and the other adults were instead offered an online school, but it can be difficult for refugees and immigrants who have hardly worked on a PC before. But from the autumn of 2024, a new Education Act will come into force, which will ensure the right to complete further education. Therefore, the county council must now remove the 25-year rule. This means that students like Nilofar can complete their education and show up in a classroom at home in Svolvær. – I think that is very good, says Hussaini. Originally, she had intended to take her family with her and move from Nordland in order to be able to continue receiving health and care elsewhere. But she doesn’t need that now. – I will stay here and get a good education. I am happy about that. Amal Abdallah (28) from Eritrea completes primary school together with Nilofar Hussaini at VIO school in Svolvær. Photo: John Inge Johansen / news Several have traveled from Nordland – Now we have a new completion reform that focuses on everyone going along. Then everyone must be given the opportunity to complete secondary school. This is simply about inclusion. Therefore, we in the county council will now work on a separate case to the county council that will remove the 25-year rule. This is according to county council leader Elin Dahlseng Eide (Ap). The 25-year rule was introduced five years ago, and the argument for changing adult education was that you don’t want adults in classes with young people. In the years after the rule was introduced, there were several adult immigrants who traveled from Nordland to avoid online school. Principal at Vågan immigrant and training center (VIO) Anne Lise Rasmussen says this rule has affected their students for many years. According to Rasmussen, Vågan municipality has lost many residents. – The first year this rule was introduced, we calculated that around 40 pieces traveled. It wasn’t just students, but also their families. And since then, around three or four students and their families have traveled each year. Rasmussen expects that the county council will admit the pupils from VIO to the school bench already this autumn. – No concrete solution yet County Council for Education and Skills, Fredric Persson (Ap), tells news that new times require new solutions. – We believe that it should not be necessary to move from Nordland in order to complete your education. The population and migration situation is different now, and therefore we consider it sensible to change practice, says Persson. – What will it mean for Nilofar and the others in Svolvær? – What I can say is that we are in dialogue with the school about a solution. We don’t have a concrete solution yet, but we are all determined to find one. Before a solution can come into effect, a regulatory change must be adopted by the county council, which according to Persson will be presented in October. It will then be adopted in the county council. The county council for education and skills, Fredric Persson, says it is not possible to remove the 25-year age limit for starting school this year. Photo: Nordland County Municipality Nilofar will get a school place for the next intake – Is it because of the new Education Act that they feel compelled to remove the 25-year rule? – It has a connection with that, which is natural when there is a law that removes the divide between adults and young people, replies Persson. He adds that the change would have been made regardless of whether the Education Act was introduced or not. – Does that mean that Nilofar will have the opportunity to start secondary school in the autumn? – We are working to find a solution, so I hope so. Since admission to secondary school has already been done, I cannot guarantee that Nilofar will be able to start school in the autumn. But according to the county council, this means that Nilofar will get a place on the next intake. So, autumn 2024. – Everyone should be allowed to fulfill their dream and live a good life in the whole of Nordland, so we want to be as flexible as possible with the solutions, he concludes.
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New Education Act gives Nilofar the right to a place in the classroom at secondary school in Lofoten – news Nordland
