From August, all first-graders across the country will receive free SFO for twelve hours a week. Now the government is also giving 60 municipalities the opportunity to provide full-time SFO places to first-graders from low-income families. The cost of the program is 79 million NOK in the 2022-23 school year. The Directorate of Education is now disbursing the money for fall 2022.

– The after-school program is important for building relationships, learning and being active. With the introduction of free SFO for more people, we will be stronger community school and we will even out the differences social in society. Low-income families will save thousands of kronor a year this way, and this will make it easier for parents to participate in working life, says Brenna.

For example, a low-income family with a first class in SFO will be able to save more than NOK 14 per year. The price of the SFO offer varies depending on the municipality.

Children from low-income families

The subsidy program is targeted at low-income families in selected municipalities. Out of 143 municipalities that applied for the 2022/23 school year, 60 municipalities receive scholarships. It provides a free full-time place for a total of 5500 students. The Education Directorate assessed the applications and allocated the money based, inter alia, on the size of the municipalities and the geographic distribution between the counties.

Subsidies are awarded to communes in all voivodships. Most of the grants go to the municipality of Oslo due to the large base of first graders. The municipalities of Kristiansand, Stavanger, Fredrikstad, Hustadvika, Skien and Drammen are also receiving substantial sums to include more children in their after-school program.

Bet on both content and free seats

The government has ambitions to both raise the quality and lower the price of the extra-curricular activities program. In addition to the introduction of the 12-hour free extra-curricular program in stage I from August 1, 2022, the government allocated NOK 10 million in the state budget to the development of quality and competences in the SFO.