Oslo school rector believes housing market prevents integration

Tøyen school in Oslo.Photo: Lise Åserud / SCANPIX

The rector at Tøyen School, Terje Andersen believes housing hinders integration.

 

He is supported in this opinion by researcher Terje Wessel.

While 75% of the ethnic Norwegian population live in a home they own, only 42% of immigrants own their own property. This emerged in a new survey from Statistics Norway (SSB), wrote Vårt Land newspaper.

Terje Andersen believes that constantly entering new environments creates insecurity for the children.

‘Security is key in integration work,’ said Andersen.

‘Our school has disproportionately many students living in social housing. They live there on short-term contracts, and it’s clear that it’s very unfortunate for the kids,’ he said.

Professor of ‘Social Geography’ at the University of Oslo, Terje Wessel, pointed out that immigrants in Oslo move between 15 and 20% more often than ethnic Norwegians,‘It makes it more difficult for immigrants to become well integrated,’ said Wessel.

Andersen wants a political change to make it possible for more immigrant families to stay in an area for a long time. Rigmor Aasrud of the Arbeiderparti (AP) in the municipal and management committee answered that ‘we need to make sure that more people have the opportunity to get to work. We must also strengthen the Housing Bank to build more homes and ensure that more people get loans’, she said.

 

© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today