The matter in summary The removal of grade requirements in Norwegian and mathematics has led to an increase in the number of students on teaching and nursing studies. Almost 5,500 started nursing studies this autumn, a historic record, and around 1,000 of these entered through the local admission without grade requirements. Almost 6,300 started teacher or lecturer training, and around 1,400 entered through the local admission. Without these, the number of new student teachers would have been the lowest in 14 years. Despite the relaxation of grade requirements at 12 educational institutions, the study centers are still struggling to recruit for teacher studies. There is criticism against the removal of the grade requirements, with concerns that it could affect patient safety and the quality of education. Some believe that the focus should be on improving the working environments and workload at the hospitals, and giving teachers clearer responsibilities and working conditions, in order to make the professions more attractive. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. Norway lacks teachers and nurses. At the same time, since 2019, these studies have required an average grade of at least 3 in both Norwegian and mathematics to enter. This summer, the government won a majority in the Storting to remove the grade requirements for nursing and teaching studies, due to a decrease in the number of applicants, and a lack of manpower. The change only applies from 2025. But some of the study centers got a jump start already this year, through an additional, local admission without grade requirements. Seven educational institutions were exempted from grade requirements for nursing, while 12 were exempted from teacher training. Now the results of the effect this has had are clear: Almost 5,500 started nursing studies this autumn. It is a historical record. Around 1,000 of the students entered through the local admission without grade requirements. Almost 6,300 started teacher or lecturer training. Around 1,400 entered through the local admission. Without them, the number of new student teachers would have been the lowest in 14 years. HVL at Kronstad in Bergen. The educational institution also has campuses in Førde, Haugesund, Sogndal and Stord. Photo: Therese Grimstad Pisani / news Postponed start of studies Margrethe Gjerde Vik (23) is one of the first-year students who has started nursing training at the Norwegian University of Applied Sciences (HVL) this autumn. Here there were 195 who entered after the main admission through Samordna admission. Vik has already worked as a healthcare worker in a hospital for five years. In the last two years, she has taken on extras as a private individual, alongside her full-time job. Everything to get into the study program of your dreams. Margrethe Gjerde Vik got to know the health profession well before choosing to study. Photo: Therese Grimstad Pisani / news – I think it’s very nice, so it certainly added flavor. She took one subject at a time per semester, and applied with the grades she got as a private student. It has made her well equipped for her nursing studies, she believes. She believes she knows to a greater extent what the teachers are talking about, and has pegs to hang her knowledge on. At the same time, she admits that she is a little nervous about the medication calculation. – But we still have certain things we have to go through, and a good plan to learn everything before we go to work, so I feel well taken care of. A little pugging and practice, and it will probably go well, she says. Fears for patient safety The old requirements led to delays in the start of studies for those who had to take up subjects to enter the studies – as Vik at HVL had to do. The government has used this as the main argument for removing the requirements. Research and Higher Education Minister Oddmund Hoel (Sp) believes the figures prove that the scheme works. Research and Higher Education Minister Oddmund Hoel (Sp) believes that they have reversed the trend of a decline in people applying for teacher training courses. Photo: Therese Grimstad Pisani / news – This has proven to be a good way to bring in new, motivated nursing students. Those who really want to become nurses and teachers, says Hoel. – There is a shortage of labor in Norwegian society, and everyone who is motivated must be allowed to train for what they want. Mattis Munchvall Rovik is deputy leader and responsible for academic and research policy in the student parliament in Vestland. He agrees with Hoel. – We are very happy that the grade requirements are being removed. I think that grades say very little about how good you will be as a teacher or nurse, he says. At the same time, many are critical of whether it is right to relax the requirements. Mattis Munchvall Rovik has been laid off as a nursing student this year, in order to be in a full-time position as a shop steward. Photo: Therese Grimstad Pisani / news Høyre fears that a lack of requirements could affect patient safety, and believes that all nursing students should submit a flawless drug calculation test in order to pass the course. The Nurses’ Association has also expressed criticism of the scheme, which they believe will not lead to more nurses. Both receive support from Petrine Hege Eide, who teaches the master’s course in surgical nursing at HVL. She is also the leader of Norway’s national association for operating room nurses. – Such further education requires a qualitatively high level, and that is reflected in everything we do. A high level of competence is required to work in this field, and a high level of knowledge, for which the bachelor’s study must lay the foundation. You should know what you are getting into. No students are allowed into the operating theater of Petrine Hege Eide, before they have gone through a thorough sanitization of their hands. Photo: Therese Grimstad Pisani / news Eide believes politicians should focus less on wages and more on improving the working environments and workload at hospitals, in order to make the professions more attractive: – There is far too much to do, and a lot of administrative work. Many people get involved in what the responsibilities of the nurses should and should not be. We want to have clearer responsibilities and working conditions, and to make our own professional assessments. Do you want to feel safe with a nurse who has a 3 or lower in maths? 👨⚕️ Yes, the most important thing is what they learn in the course. No. You need good grades to be able to calculate drugs for the patients💊 Show result Still struggling to recruit teachers Despite the relaxation of grade requirements at 12 educational institutions, the study centers are still struggling to recruit for the teacher studies. See how many attended the teacher training courses A total of 3,259 students attended the five-year teacher training courses last autumn, where 716 of those who attended did not meet the grade requirements in Norwegian and maths. At the Primary teacher training 1st to 7th stage, there were 1199 present at the start of studies. Of those, 363, or 30 per cent, were admitted without having met the grade requirements. The total number was higher than in 2023, when just over 1,000 students showed up. But the number of students from the regular intake was 836. If this had been the final number, it would have meant a sharp decrease from last year, and by far the lowest number for as long as the 5-year primary school teacher training has existed. In primary school teacher training 5th to 10th grade, 951 showed up for the start of studies. Of those, 306, or 32 per cent, were admitted without having met the grade requirements in Norwegian and maths. Here, too, it would have been a historically poor admission, if the grade requirements were still to apply. Not since 2012 have lecturer training programs struggled so much to get students to show up for the start of their studies. 858 showed up, but only 23 of them got in without meeting the original grade requirements. Source: Ministry of Education (KD) It was precisely the teacher shortage that motivated Erik Lunde to apply at HVL. Like the operating room nurse, he believes that the teachers also have too much responsibility. – Teachers have far too much responsibility in the classrooms. Parents must monitor their children better. Erik Lunde is originally from Os in Bjørnafjorden, where he is involved in the Conservative Party. Photo: Therese Grimstad Pisani / news Lunde is enjoying her teaching studies so far. Soon he is going on an internship. – I know many people who came in after these character requirements were removed. So it clearly shows that you get more applicants. And it is good that you can fill up the places, especially when there is such a great shortage of teachers in Norway. We need more nurses and we need more teachers. Published 30.10.2024, at 12.00
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Now the number of teaching and nursing students is increasing – news Vestland
