– It would have been nice to have an oral exam, say the 10th graders at Gulset secondary school. The students have never had an exam before. Therefore, they would prefer to get it over with before they start upper secondary school. – Then it is stricter. We would like to be prepared, they say. Now, a lack of examiners may lead to fewer students taking the oral exam this year. Municipalities all over the country are struggling to obtain enough examiners, according to the Directorate of Education. – It should not affect the students. It’s silly, think the 10th graders. – Challenging situation March 1 was the deadline for signing up volunteer teachers who can carry out censorship. In Skien, well over half of the guards that must be covered are missing. – I don’t think this has happened before to such an extent. It is an extraordinary situation, says municipal manager for education, Robert Rognli. The municipal manager for upbringing in Skien, Robert Rognli, does not want to advance measures, but says a possible way to go is to go wider and recruit retired teachers and primary school teachers Photo: VIGDIS HELLA / news The municipality is working to implement as normal, but there is extra challenging, he confirms. Rognli does not rule out that this will lead to oral exams having to be canceled for some students. – It would surprise me very much, but it could be. We don’t know that now, because we need to get clarity on what the municipalities’ room for action is. Local differences The Norwegian Directorate of Education follows developments closely, says department director Per Kristian Larsen-Evjen. On Wednesday, this became a topic at a meeting with the country’s state administrators, because municipalities have wondered how the legislation should be interpreted. The notice from the Norwegian Directorate of Education is that everyone must take the exam as normal this year, also in the oral exam. – The municipalities are responsible for recruiting students for the exam as described in the circular. The students get more and more varied opportunities to show their competence if they don’t just have a written exam, says Larsen-Evjen. The Directorate of Education has carried out two surveys about the situation of the state administrators. Larsen-Evjen points out that there is variation in how big the challenges the municipalities have locally. Rejects action The Education Association went out in Dagbladet last year and rejected accusations that it is an action on their part to encourage teachers to boycott the examiner job. – On the contrary, the Education Association has encouraged those who have the time and opportunity to register as examiners, says manager in Vestfold and Telemark, Solveig Hals. Teacher at Gulset secondary school, Øyvind Haugen, believes the lack of examiners is due to the conflict with employer KS. The teachers are unhappy that the strike in 2022 was stopped by the forced wage board. The teachers Øyvind Haugen and Frida Amdal believe that high work pressure and the relationship with KS is the reason why many teachers have not signed up as examiners this year. Amdal has not signed up as an examiner, while Øyvind Haugen has only signed up as an oral examiner. Photo: VIGDIS HELLA / news He therefore believes that it will not help with measures such as more compensation. KS encourages teachers to register KS, the municipalities’ interest organisation, confirms that municipalities in several places in the country lack examiners. Now they encourage teachers to sign up. – Now it is important that everyone who can be an examiner reports to the assignment as usual. We are very dependent on the students now being able to complete the exam in the normal way. We hope we can all work together to contribute to that, says Kristin Holm Jensen, department director at KS. – Can KS guarantee that the exam will be completed? – We work hard at all levels to make it happen, and that is our goal. The pupils’ training is the most important thing now, says Jensen. Asks Brenna to increase the remuneration The Conservative Party asks the Minister of Education to consider increasing the remuneration for the sensor job. – When so many municipalities and county councils report a shortage of examiners, I think it is time for Brenna to realize the national responsibility she has, and get on the field, says Conservative Jan Tore Sanner to Utdanningsnytt. Sanner has put written questions about the matter to Minister of Education Tonje Brenna (Ap) in the Storting. – After the pandemic years, it is important that we return to normal and get the exam completed, he says. Get a valid diploma If students are not allowed to take the oral exam, there will be no consequences for the diploma. This is pointed out by Petter Andersen, Assistant Director of Development at the State Administrator in Vestfold and Telemark. – All students in the 10th grade will receive a valid diploma, even if the exam cannot be completed, he says. The exam is new, exciting and a little scary for the 10th graders at Gulset secondary school. From left Julia Ternstein Omsland, Mille Kittilsen, Jørgen Bertin Bjerkøen, and Hedvig Draugdalen. Photo: VIGDIS HELLA / news The students at Gulset secondary school still hope that they will be able to carry out as normal. – It would be nice to release the stress, but there is security in trying it now before high school, says Jørgen Bertin Bjerkøen.
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Pupils can miss an oral exam due to a lack of examiners – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
