Wants more teachers in kindergarten

kindergarten core-timeChildren attending Kindergarten. Photo: Pixabay

The Government will increase the proportion of teachers in the nursery school to strengthen the work of early intervention. – We want more of the employees in day care centres to be kindergarten teachers. They are the key to creating a good nursery school, says Minister Torbjørn Røe Isaksen.

Friday March 24th, the Government published a new white paper on the Norwegian school. Early intervention is a key element in the notification, and more kindergarten teachers are one of the prime measures. The proportion of kindergarten teachers will be increased from today’s 38 to 44 percent.

A good start

– If we are to give children a good start in school, we must start in the kindergarten. The transition to school is easier when the child develops linguistic and social skills with even more talented staff in the kindergarten, the Minister said.

Along with The Christian Democrats (KrF) and the Liberals (V) the Government has allocated more than NOK 400 million towards increasing the proportion of kindergarten teachers for the next school year. The details of the proposal are now being studied and will be circulated later this spring.

Today the minimum is one educational leader per 7-9 small children, and one educational leader per 14 to 18 bigger kids. In Day care centres with the most kindergarten teachers, there are 10 per skilled worker, while in those with the fewest have 22 larger children per kindergarten teacher.

– There are major differences between good and bad nursery. Therefore, we have in recent years carried out a historic commitment to quality, to ensure that all children get a good follow-up wherever they live. In the long term we want to increase the proportion of kindergarten teachers by sharpening skills requirements even further, says Røe Isaksen.

 Staffing norm

The Government will also propose a staffing norm in the spring of 2017. In the worst staffed day care centres there is today one adult in seven bigger kids, while the best-manned have one adult per five.

– Parents should know that their children are fine when they follow what they cherish the most to kindergarten. Therefore, we will make sure the kids have enough adults around them, and adults with the skills to see what the needs of each child are, says the Minister.

 

Source: government.no / Norway Today