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Norway health agency wanted to reopen schools: report

Norway's health agency wanted to begin rolling back the closure of schools and kindergartens this week, but it was overruled by the government, according to the Dagens Næringsliv business newspaper.

Published: 27 March 2020 12:30 CET

Norway health agency wanted to reopen schools: report

Oslo's Bjølsen skole. Photo: Trym Asserson/Flickr

According to documents leaked to the newspaper, the Norwegian Institute on Public Health (FHI) on Monday proposed that the government consider reopening kindergartens and schools for children up to ten years' old, following the example of Finland.

But on Tuesday, Norway's Prime Minister Erna Solberg overruled the recommendations and instead announced plans to extend the school closures until after Easter.

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In its recommendations, the FHI argued that the medical evidence for the effectiveness of closing schools and kindergartens was weak, and that the measure might only be appropriate when the epidemic is more widely spread within the community.

Finland last week reversed a decision to close its schools, following confusion over who counted as an essential worker.

According to the newspaper, FHI also questioned the need to keep Norway's unpopular ban on people living in their country cabins, arguing the measure need not be kept in place for the duration of the crisis.

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Can I take my kids out of their Norwegian school during term time for a holiday?

Unfortunately, many families face the highest travel costs when their kids are off school.

As those without kids will know, the main perks of travelling outside peak times include lower prices and fewer crowds – what’s not to love?

Therefore, in some countries, it can be considered totally normal to take kids – especially younger ones – out of school for a holiday. But is this possible in Norway?

In Norway, the Education Act states that all children have the “right and duty” to attend school.

Under the law, it is the parent’s responsibility, or the children’s carers, to ensure that the children receive that education.

When children are absent from school without it being cleared by the school, their parents risk being fined. When and how many families will be fined appears at the school’s discretion.

The consequences for taking your children out of school during term time also vary depending on their school level.

For children in primary and secondary school, you will need to apply for permission from the school for the absence to be authorised. Parents can apply for leave of up to two school weeks (or ten school days).

Even when applying properly, local authorities and schools can still choose to turn down the request. Requests will also generally be turned down during periods of testing.

In some cases, schools can accommodate and grant the holiday time and ensure that the children have work or assignments to keep up their education. In other cases, schools will have a blanket policy of rejecting holidays outside of term time.

However, if the holiday was combined with a family event, such as a wedding or christening abroad, it may have more chance of being given the green light.

Therefore, you must speak to the school and local authority before committing to an expensive holiday.

The consequences for older children can be more severe than a fine.

Pupils in high school (videregående) with an undocumented absence rate of 10 percent face not receiving a grade in a subject. This means missing just a few days could put a grade at risk. Furthermore, days where the student is absent also appear on their final diploma.

Additionally, there isn’t a way for high schools to authorise holidays as an absence. Authorised absences can only be granted for health, welfare, religious, and other events that the student cannot miss and high-level sporting and cultural events.

This consequence to the student’s grade is on top of any action parents may face for taking their kids out of school.

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