– I can not quite imagine what I would have done without the part-time job. I have noticed the increased fuel, food and electricity prices. You do not have that much money to spend on unnecessary things, says Øksendal to news. He is in the middle of the exam period and sits and reads when we meet him at the University of Stavanger. He is studying to become an associate professor, but in addition he has to work part-time at the bar Grandkjelleren in Flekkefjord every other weekend. The income he gets from there is crucial so that he does not have to worry too much about the economy. – It is an hour and a quarter to drive a road, so it would have been good to let it go and rather focus fully and completely on the study, says Albert. – It is absolutely necessary that the student grant increases SIFO’s reference budget for 2021 covers the students’ costs during a month from August to June. It appears that a student would have lost NOK 5,828 if he / she only covered the student grant. The Norwegian student organization believes it is high time to raise student support, especially now that electricity, food and fuel prices are higher than ever. – We believe it is absolutely necessary that student support increases. We hear several stories about students who are constantly struggling financially and who have to spend a lot of time working part-time, says Tuva Todnem Lund, leader of the Norwegian Student Organization. Tuva Todnem Lund is the leader of the Norwegian student organization. They believe it is high time that student support is increased. Photo: Skjalg Bøhmer Violence / Skjalg Bøhmer Violence Makes two demands Lund believes that being a student is a full-time job in itself, and that one or more part-time jobs make it more difficult to complete the education. For each state budget, the student grant is regulated against the basic amount in the National Insurance Scheme (G). This basic amount in the National Insurance Scheme is used to calculate Norwegian social security and pension benefits. At the moment, the student grant is 1.19G, ie 1.19 times the basic amount in the National Insurance Scheme. The Norwegian student organization believes this is far too low. Their demand to the authorities is that the student support should rise to a level equivalent to 1.5G, a level it has not been at since 1998. It would give each student close to NOK 3,500 more to route with per month during the academic year. In addition, they want the student grant to be linked directly to the basic amount in the National Insurance Scheme, so that the student grant is always 1.5 times the basic amount in the National Insurance Scheme, regardless of whether the basic amount goes up or down. – The students’ actual purchasing power varies greatly from year to year and we are completely dependent on being able to live and buy food in the store, regardless of how price adjustments in the rest of society work. Therefore, we believe this is necessary, says Lund. Ministry of Education and Research: Not relevant with an increase The revised budget that was presented in May concluded that the student grant will remain at 1.19G. Signe Bjotveit (Sp) is political adviser to Minister of Research and Higher Education Ola Borten Moe (Sp). She points out that today’s student support, together with the electricity scholarship of 3,000 kroner, is enough to cover the necessary expenses a student has. Besides, she does not see anything negative in students working part-time. – This government wants a safe and good economy for the students, but we also believe that it is good that you can work alongside your studies. Then they gain important work experience and are better equipped to find a job after their studies. Signe Bjotveit (Sp) is political adviser to research and higher Ola Borten Moe (Sp). She believes today’s student support is good enough. Photo: Ilja C. Hendel – It is demanding Tuva Todnem Lund is disappointed that the government is not taking action. She still chooses to be optimistic and promises to continue working for higher support. – It is absolutely necessary for the students I represent. Many people are completely dependent on predictability and the opportunity to spend their time studying, without having to worry about everything going around financially. Associate professor student Albert Elias Øksendal must therefore continue to commute to Flekkefjord in the time ahead. He would like to avoid that, especially now in the most important period of the year for the students. – It gets a little messy to go home in the middle of the exam period, you get a little out of the flow, Albert concludes.
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The purchasing power of students has rarely been worse – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
