– 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Recently, several people have advocated increased staffing in the kindergartens, and several of the parties that have withdrawn from the settlement highlight this point.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
What are the key components of the new kindergarten settlement in Norway, and how do they aim to improve the quality of early childhood education?
**Interview with Education Policy Expert on the New Kindergarten Settlement in Norway**
**Interviewer:** Welcome, Dr. Ingrid Hansen, thank you for joining us today to discuss the recent developments regarding the kindergarten sector in Norway. The Labor Party and the Center Party have expressed support for a new framework to manage and finance kindergartens. Can you tell us what the significance of this agreement is?
**Dr. Hansen:** Thank you for having me. The joint agreement is crucial because it aims to create a sustainable and predictable framework for kindergartens, which are essential for children’s welfare and early development. As Elise Waagen from the Labor Party mentioned, having stability in this sector can contribute significantly to the quality of care and education provided to our youngest citizens.
**Interviewer:** The Center Party’s Marit Knutsdatter Strand emphasized the importance of long-term solutions over temporary trends. What do you think are the key challenges that this agreement addresses?
**Dr. Hansen:** The main focus of this settlement is to ensure quality and accessibility of kindergartens across Norway. It addresses financial management, affordability for families, and aims to bolster the workforce through better staffing regulations. Notably, the agreement also includes provisions for pensions and aims to equalize rights for employees in both private and public kindergartens, which has been a longstanding issue.
**Interviewer:** Some parties, including the MDG and SV, have withdrawn from the negotiations citing concerns over staffing and quality. What are their main objections, and do you believe these are valid points?
**Dr. Hansen:** Both MDG and SV raise critical concerns. They argue that the current agreement does not adequately tackle the staffing crisis or provide concrete measures to improve recruitment and reduce turnover in kindergartens. This sentiment is echoed by many experts and advocates, who stress that without sufficient staffing, the quality of care and educational activities will inevitably suffer. Their concerns highlight the need for more detailed implementation strategies to ensure that the funding goes where it’s most needed.
**Interviewer:** The settlement includes a call for the government to clarify staffing regulations. What implications does this have for the day-to-day operations of kindergartens?
**Dr. Hansen:** Clear staffing regulations are essential to maintaining high-quality educational standards. The current framework suggests that kindergartens should have adequate staff to ensure proper educational activities are conducted throughout their operating hours. This means that even during illness or staff absence, there should be protocols for securing substitutes. Clarifying these regulations is crucial for preventing potential gaps in care and ensuring that children receive consistent attention and education.
**Interviewer:** what does this agreement mean for the future of private kindergartens in Norway?
**Dr. Hansen:** The new framework aims to create a fair playing field for both public and private kindergartens. It seeks to ensure that private providers cannot operate solely for profit at the expense of quality. By including measures that promote equity—such as pension rights and staffing standards—this agreement could lead to an overall improvement in the quality of care provided across the board.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Dr. Hansen, for sharing your insights on this important issue. It seems like a significant step, but there are still challenges ahead to ensure every child in Norway receives the quality care and education they deserve.
**Dr. Hansen:** Absolutely, and ongoing dialogue and advocacy will be essential as we move forward to address these challenges. Thanks for having me.
