EDUCATION IN NORWAY

 Ana María Casas.

 María Camila Melgarejo.
 Jimmer Agudelo.

SCRIPT

Journalist (Camila): Good morning everybody. Today we have two special guests for talking about

Student (Jimmer) and Teacher (Annie) introduce themselves:

Anne: Good morning, my name is Anne Marie Hagebak, I am a language teacher in Bærum
Waldorf School

As a teacher I am very happy to do my job, since we have one of the best educational systems in
Europe and the world, which have several similarities with the education system of our neighbour
Finland.

Journalist (Camila): The Norwegian educational system stands out for wanting to be one of the
best educational systems of the world, because the quality of their education and training are
fundamental for the development of their society.

Well, Mr. Dahl and Mrs. Hagebak, tell me, how do you pretend your educational system to be one
of the best in the world?

Jimmer: Well Cause we have an strict curriculum and the teacher try to be the best, here our
education is free, Students in Norway receive support from the State Educational Loan fund and in
addition 14 000 students receive support to take full studies abroad.

Anne: Anne: Since the barnehage the system is quite different from what you'll find in the UK or
USA, as it starts at a much younger age

Journalist (Camila): I understand that the support for students help them, but there are other
ways that guarantee the students’ permanence in the educational system in addition to being a
public education?

Jimmer: The schools guarantee the permanence of the students in the educational system cause
here the most important thing is that teachers teach very well, here the purpose in each class is
not who is the best is that we can all learn, the dynamics in class are very different every day and
we as students are happy about that.

Journalist (Camila): Oh, it’s amazing, because is so important offer students all possible resources
and supports to avoid dropout, since that is one of the reasons why students abandon their
studies in many countries.

Anne, you mention the barnehage, can you talk to me about it? What is it?

Anne: Well is an institution for children below compulsory school age. Although often translated as
nursery school or kindergarten.

Journalist (Camila): Okay, I got it. Well, we know that early childhood learning is so important for
the child’s enveloped in the rest of his educational process, many things depend of it, so, how do
you handle that? What about the early childhood learning?

Anne: For early childhood there are barnehage or kindergartens, which are educational
institutions responsible for providing a space for the development, support and care of the child.
Additionally, this provides for family members while working or studying.

Jimmer: When I was kid teachers cared a lot about us, it gives us a libertarian education, we can
play a lot in the park.

Journalist (Camila): So, I suppose that in Norway the children begin their educational process from
a very young age, at what age do children enter into the educational system?

Anne: Children who reach the age of one by the end of August are entitled to a place in a
barnehage from that August. Children who reach the age of one in September, October or
November of that year are entitled to a place from the month they reach the age of one.

At the age of one, approximately 70% of children attend a barnehage, a figure which rises to 92%
at the age of two, and 96% at the age of three

Journalist (Camila): Kindergarten is optional, but, from what point is it compulsory to start
schooling?
Anne: Everyone between the ages of 6 – 16 must attend school in Norway. All public education is
free in Norway, and classes are taught in Norwegian with the exception of foreign language
classes, of course.

Journalist (Camila): Each part of the educational process is very important because it brings
different things and learning to the students, so, what can you tell me about elementary and high
school?

Anne: Regarding about the school system in elementary  and high school, I can tell you that in
Norway, the education system is made up of primary school (Barneskole), lower secondary school
(Ungdomsskole) and Videregående skole.(upper secondary school).

Journalist (Camila): What could you tell me about high school?

In Ungdomsskole that is Norwegian lower secondary school begins at the age of 12 or 13 and lasts
for three years. It covers the 8th to the 10th grade. During lower secondary, pupils are graded and
need to maintain good grades in order to attend their upper secondary school of choice. When
pupils are in the 8th grade, they have to pick an elective (valgfag), which is typically a foreign
language (e.g. German, French or Spanish) or additional English or Norwegian studies.

On the other hand exists ideregående skole (upper secondary school)

Journalist (Camila): What does it consist of?

Anne: Norwegian upper secondary school consists of three more years of “optional” schooling. All
upper secondary education in Norway is predominantly based in public schools, and up until 2005
Norwegian law practically made private schools illegal unless they provided some form of
“religious or pedagogic” education.

Journalist (Camila): What can you tell me about elementary and high school?

Anne: Regarding about the school system in elementary  and high school, I can tell you that in
Norway, the education system is made up of primary school (Barneskole), lower secondary school
(Ungdomsskole) and Videregående skole.(upper secondary school).

Journalist (Camila): What does Barneskole consist of?

Anne: En Barneskole (elementary school) Children begin Norwegian primary school at the age of 6
and then leave at the age of 13. It covers the 1st to the 7th grade. In the first grade, pupils spend
their days playing educational games, learning social skills and basic education.
From the 2nd to the 7th grade, children are taught a wide range of subjects from maths to
gymnastics and English to social studies. Children do not receive official grades during primary
school, however teachers often write comments and unofficial grades on tests to show progress.

Journalist (Camila): Tell me about your process in the school, since kindergarten until high school,
what do you highlight most in your educational process?

Jimmer: When I was kid in kindergarten I used to play a lot and I studied a lot too, but now in high
school and I’m senior of it and be a student here it’s so incredible cause we’ve one of the best
educations of the world, and I’m so proud to live here and study here but sometimes it’s kind of
complicated but I can say that it’s a good and beautiful experience, here we have the option of
choose to learn another language in 8 th grade so I decided to study English and Spanish, my friends
and I like to participate in different events of school and here if we have the best School notes we
can apply for a scholarship abroad and I’ve a grant, So this year I'm going to exchange to the
United States.

Journalist (Camila): Which state’s entities are in charge of elaborating, approving and executing
the educational policy?

Jimmer: Ministry of Education, Research & Church Affairs prepares the national curriculum for
grunnskole (elementary and high school education) and videregående skole (upper secondary
school).

Journalist: the relationship and interaction between students and students, in itself, the entire
educational community is so important, since, from this, it begins how the child perceives
education and how he assimilates it, there are some courtesies between teachers and students?

Anne: Yes of course before each lesson begins, students and their teachers remain standing and
exchange hellos and a few words together before diving into the day's tasks. It goes a little
something like this: "Good morning class. Good morning! I hope you're all doing well today; I am
happy to see you! As you can see we have a visitor from the U.S. today. You may be seated."

We also have some customs for example students and teachers have specific indoor shoes. In
many towns, students walk or ride their bikes to school and keep a pair of slip-ons in their
classrooms to change into when they arrive. Usually they are clean tennis shoes or sandals like
Birkenstocks with comfy socks.
Journalist: The space must be very welcoming for the students, because from this it starts that the
students feel comfortable to receive their classes, the more welcomed they feel, the more
receptive they can be to what they want to teach. What about the classrooms?

Anne: The dynamics in the classrooms is very normal students stay in the same classroom with the
same classmates all day long, and the teachers rotate to the students. Norwegian students are
very surprised when I tell them that, in American high school, a student’s schedule is unique to the
student, and they move all around the building throughout the day. Students here also eat lunch
in their classrooms, and everyone brings a small tin or plastic box with bread and pålegg, which
are the toppings for an open-faced style sandwich. Fruit and yogurt are common sides.

Journalist (Camila): I think that a big problem many times is choosing between university and
work, what do you think about it? In Norway, which is easier to Access?

Jimmer: Here isn’t complicated because we’ve a lot of options for the future and if we want to
study in another place for different reasons, the minister can help us with money or a grant but I
don’t think so…. That choosing about work or university is difficult if you want, you want that’s it…
but if you don’t want it’s your decision.