– We agree on a joint agreement on how to manage and finance the nursery sector. It is important to create predictability and calm in the kindergartens, which are a basic and important welfare offer, says the Labor Party’s Elise Waagen to NTB.
Patient focus is also involved in the settlement, where the government therefore goes to the right to secure a majority.
– For the Center Party, a settlement that stands up over time is more important than the fads of the wing parties. Now we ensure good kindergartens close to people throughout Norway. We have greatly reduced the nursery price, now we are taking new measures for quality, says Marit Knutsdatter Strand, education policy spokesperson for the Center Party, to NTB.
Desired broad settlement
The parties in the Storting have been negotiating since before the summer about the new law for how the private kindergartens are to be managed and financed. The goal was to achieve a new, broad kindergarten settlement – for the first time since 2003.
Along the way, both Frp, SV and Rødt have broken off the negotiations. MDG also ultimately chose to stay out.
– MDG has chosen not to become part of the settlement because the decisions are not good enough to ensure a good enough nursery for children and employees in the years to come. The fact that there are no concrete measures that will strengthen staffing, create lower sickness absence and ensure good recruitment is worrying, says MDG’s Une Bastholm.
Recently, several people have advocated increased staffing in the kindergartens, and several of the parties that have withdrawn from the settlement highlight this point.
Will clarify the staffing rules
The six parties that agree emphasize that it is required by law to have such good staffing in the kindergartens that the staff can run a satisfactory educational activity.
– This requirement applies throughout the opening hours, also in the event of illness and other absences. The parties believe that it must be emphasized that substitutes must be obtained if the staffing situation dictates this, it is further stated.
They also ask the government to follow up and clarify how the staffing regulations are to be understood, what constitutes appropriate staffing. It must also be clarified when it is necessary to bring in substitutes and, if necessary, cut the opening hours.
The parties in the settlement also agree that pension schemes must be part of the bill that is presented to the Storting.
The aim is that there should be equal rights for employees in private and public kindergartens.
SV: – Fails the left side
SV’s education policy spokesperson, Grete Wold, says that the settlement does not solve any of the problems in the kindergartens.
– We have a staffing crisis out there. This settlement does not consider solving it at all. We must ensure that the money allocated to the kindergartens goes to our children. Neither does this settlement. And we must ensure that the commercial players cannot shut down overnight. That doesn’t solve this settlement either, she says to NTB.
She is disappointed that the government parties go to the bourgeois parties to get a majority.
– It shows that they are once again failing the left in politics. They could have reached a settlement with us that would have ensured a kindergarten law that would have done something about the challenges in the sector, she says.
– “Honk and drive and go” for the commercial ones
Rødt’s Hege Bae Nyholt says that they tried to be constructive in the negotiations, but that the majority chose not to listen to several of their proposals.
– This is a kind of “honk and drive and go” for the commercial nurseries, she says.
– I am disappointed. Here, the governing parties have chosen the right over their own politics. They have entered into a settlement that is so broad that it does not take into account the crises in the nursery sector, she tells NTB.
PBL: Positive clarifications
Director Jørn-Tommy Schjelderup of the National Association of Private Kindergartens (PBL), which organizes several of the commercial kindergartens, says that there will be several “positive and very important clarifications in the settlement”.
– After a long period of much polarized debate, and also far-reaching proposals that would have been very dramatic for private kindergartens, it is good that the parties have managed to agree on a document that mentions many of the central themes, he says.
He praises both the governing parties and the opposition for having worked constructively on the issue over time.
– And with good intentions about balanced and sustainable solutions, he says.
#Agreement #kindergarten #law #demand #staffing
How does the Labor Party plan to address concerns about the quality of education in the nursery sector?
**Interview with Elise Waagen, Labor Party Spokesperson**
**Editor**: Thank you for joining us today, Elise. There has been significant discussion around the recent negotiations on kindergarten funding and management. Can you explain the importance of this agreement for the nursery sector?
**Elise Waagen**: Thank you for having me. This joint agreement is crucial as it aims to create a stable and predictable environment for kindergartens across Norway. The nursery sector is a cornerstone of our welfare system, and we need to ensure that it remains accessible and high-quality for all families. By structuring how we manage and finance these facilities, we can enhance their reliability and the quality of education provided to our children.
**Editor**: The Center Party has emphasized the need for a settlement that stands the test of time. How does this align with your party’s goals?
**Elise Waagen**: Absolutely. We believe that a lasting agreement is more beneficial than short-term fixes influenced by any political fads. Our focus is on improving the quality of kindergartens and maintaining reduced nursery prices. This ensures that families can have good kindergartens nearby without overburdening their finances.
**Editor**: Some parties, like the MDG and SV, have decided not to participate in this settlement due to concerns about staffing and overall quality. What is your response to their criticisms?
**Elise Waagen**: It’s important to acknowledge differing perspectives in this dialog. We are aware of the staffing challenges that have been highlighted. However, our settlement includes provisions to clarify staffing rules and ensure legal requirements for appropriate staffing levels at all times. We believe that this framework will ultimately enhance conditions for both children and staff.
**Editor**: You mentioned clarity in staffing regulations. Can you elaborate on what measures are being put in place to address the staffing crisis?
**Elise Waagen**: Certainly. The agreement specifies that kindergartens must have sufficient staff to conduct satisfactory educational activities. This includes provisions for obtaining substitutes during staff absences. Additionally, we are working to define what constitutes appropriate staffing more clearly, which will help organizations manage their workforce better.
**Editor**: can you share your thoughts on the importance of including pension schemes in this agreement?
**Elise Waagen**: Including pension schemes is vital for ensuring equality between employees in private and public kindergartens. This will help retain skilled educators in the sector and create a more stable workforce, which directly benefits the quality of care and education that children receive.
**Editor**: Thank you, Elise, for your insights on this important issue. We look forward to seeing how this agreement develops in the coming months.
**Elise Waagen**: Thank you for having me. I share your anticipation and hope for a positive outcome for our children and educators.
