The country’s municipalities and county councils save NOK 24.3 million in salary costs every day the teachers strike. This shows calculations made by TV 2. Over 8,000 teachers from the Norwegian Education Association, the National Association of Schools and the Norwegian Association of Lecturers are on strike, which has lasted since June. – The children lose Center Party politician Kristian Leerstang-Sørensen has two children who are affected by the strike. Now he advocates that the money the municipalities have saved on teachers’ salaries should go to children and young people. – It is money that should go back to the students. It is the children who lose in the situation we are in now, he says. City council member in Porsgrunn for the Center Party, Kristian Leerstang-Sørensen. He sits on the committee for children, young people and culture. Photo: Solfrid Leirgul Øverbø / news He is unsure how it will happen in practice. The politician is considering proposing solutions such as extended homework help, or other offers that benefit students. – I think it will be completely wrong if we are to spend the money on operation and maintenance, or other delays in the municipal budget. Leerstang-Sørensen believes all municipalities should focus on the children when the pot of money is to be distributed. – It is our task as a municipality that the children are looked after, and that they do not miss several months of teaching. He gets support from several teams. FAU leader at Vestsiden school, Tina Tveten, also believes that the money should go back to the students. – I think it might make sense both to strengthen the training, but also to look at what kind of equipment the schools lack, says Tveten. She emphasizes that it is also important to give the pupils an activity offer, both in the short and long term, if the strike continues to drag on. Want to make up for lost lessons Pupil council leader Viktoria Skaane Buaas, and many of the other pupils in the 10th grade at Kjølnes secondary school in Porsgrunn, have only had three days at school since the summer holidays. This means that they have been away from the classroom for five weeks. – I am very worried, because I know that when we return to school now, there are many who will not be able to cope with the pressure, says Buaas. Viktoria Skaane Buaas and her friends Alva Flogstad Aas and Amalie Næss meet at the “Open school” offer for two hours a few days a week. There they can do school work and socialize with other students while the strike is ongoing. Photo: Solfrid Leirgul Øverbø / news Porsgrunn municipality states that they have so far saved NOK 8 million on salary expenses since the strike started. – We demand that the money goes to children and young people. If the municipality is to profit from the strike, while we are only going to lose, lose and lose, then it will be very unfair, says the student council leader. The student council believes that the money should be used for a voluntary school offer in the evenings, or that more teachers be employed in the class, so that the students will be able to make up for lost time when the strike is over. It may be relevant to make up for lost tuition The Norwegian Central Association of Municipalities, KS, does not rule out that the money saved on wages can be used for pupils to make up for lost schooling. According to the department director for upbringing, culture and education in KS, Kristin Holm Jensen, the municipalities are concerned about this. – We have seen that some strike-affected municipalities have already said that they will use saved salary funds on the school and the students after the strike is over. It is positive, she says. KS is now working together with the municipalities to map out what opportunities there are to give pupils extra education after the strike is over. – It may be relevant, but it must be clarified in more detail how the offer is set up, says Jensen. She adds that many municipalities also spend extra money on other services for children and young people, such as leisure clubs, libraries, other leisure services and enhanced health services. – Don’t look at what saved money Mayor of Porsgrunn, Robin Kåss, will not promise that the money the municipality is left with after the teachers’ strike will go to the students. He points out that the schools in the municipality have already had a large over-consumption and higher expenses, for example electricity. – I have to be careful about promising anything, says Kåss. Robin Kåss, mayor of Porsgrunn, cannot promise that the money saved from the teachers’ strike will go back to the students. Photo: Sindre Thoresen Lønnes / news The mayor says that he will look at how the municipality can help the students who have been affected by the strike. – We have to sit down with the pedagogues and principals and see what can be done to make up as much as possible of what was lost. The mayor cannot answer how it will be organized and how much money can be spent on it. – There is no doubt that this must be addressed. I don’t see this as saving money. This is lose-lose for everyone, says Kåss.
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The municipalities save millions – pupils and parents want them back – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
