Today, government work begins on a new strategy for better kindergartens. The strategy will improve competences, increase the number of children in kindergarten and ensure that the money goes to the best interests of the children.
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The new strategy will be ready in the fall. It will give concrete expression to the government's ambition to improve quality in 5500 kindergartens in the country. Today 270 children attend kindergartens.
- Now the government will introduce the kindergarten policy into a new phase in which we are improving competences, staff and quality in the kindergarten. At the same time, we want to lower the price for the kindergarten and make taxpayers 'money and parents' contributions go to the best interests of children. The new preschool strategy will be developed in dialogue with those who work in the preschool and their organizations, says Education Minister Tonje Brenna.
Today, at the first meeting, he meets the newly established National Forum of Preschool Quality. The forum brings together ten key players in the preschool sector: KS, Sami Parliament, Educational Association, Trade Union, PBL, Virke, Delta, Parents' Committee for Kindergartens (FUB), University College Council - Teacher Education (UHR-LU) and Pedagogstudentene.
Moving on, the forum will discuss how to develop the quality of the pre-school sector by 2030. The following three topics will be central to the new pre-school strategy:
1. Inclusion and participation
Currently, approximately 18 preschool-age children do not attend kindergarten. the use of kindergarten is the lowest among people speakers of minority languages and people with low incomes.
- We know that the price may result in parents giving up sending their children to kindergarten. This could affect the children who need nursery the most. Then it is important that we look at how we can include even more children in the offer, says Brenna.
From August 1, the government will lower the maximum price to the 2005 level. Families with one child in kindergarten will save NOK 2900 per year .
2. Competences and staff
The quality of kindergartens varies and it is often related to competence. In three out of ten kindergartens, there are not enough pre-school teachers to meet the pedagogical standard, and approximately one in four employees does not have higher or adequate education.
- The kindergarten is the part of the educational process that is of greatest importance for the development of children and youth. Then it is paradoxical that it is in kindergarten that the level of competence is the lowest. The government wants children to get to know more workers with the right skills and improve the quality of the kindergarten offer. Therefore, the government's goal is for half of the workforce to be preschool teachers and 25% must be skilled workers, says Brenna.
In 2022, the government increased municipalities' incomes by NOK 2 billion more than the Solberg government had proposed.
The government will also work to ensure that children are adequately staffed. It will take place, among others by setting requirements for temporary workers, requirements for local managers, and reviewing tasks that draw workers away from children. The ministry entrusted the Education Directorate with the task of examining and submitting for consultation a proposal for a new regulatory rule on requirements for local leaders.
Management and financing
The government's actions aimed at better management of the pre-school sector will also be presented in the new strategy. An extensive knowledge base has been obtained in recent years. This knowledge shows that the regulations and financing system for private kindergartens are outdated and changes are needed.
- We want public subsidies and parents' contributions to go to kindergartens. That is why we want stricter regulations and a financing system that will ensure better democratic governance and control of the sector and provide individual and non-profit kindergartens with better framework conditions. I want to engage in dialogue with players in the sector to ensure that, says Brenna.
In the photo, the Minister of Education and Science at a meeting with the newly established National Forum of Preschool Quality, Photo KD
Source: regjeringen
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