The Norwegian government wants to give students who can document their electricity costs NOK 3,000 kroner. NOK 1,200 of the amount would be converted into a scholarship.
“We have said for some time that we’re following electricity prices closely. We are painfully aware that the high prices also affect many students. They have also been clear about the issue. We are now opening up (to provide support) to those who need it,” Minister of Higher Education Ola Borten Moe (SP) told the newspaper VG.
The money could be made available to students through the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund (Statens lånekasse for utdanning), and it could be paid out in January, the Ministry of Education announced.
“The students are one of several groups that have been affected by the electricity prices this winter. Therefore, we are also working on more measures to lower the electricity bill for other groups,” Borten Moe added.
Change of course?
The government has previously said no to similar proposals.
Among other things, the opposition parties (the Liberals, the Conservatives, and the Christian Democrats) presented a proposal to give NOK 1,000 as an extra electricity scholarship to the students last week. The government parties and the Socialist Left Party (SV) rejected the proposal.
The government also wants to increase the housing allowance by NOK 1,500 a month and increase the social assistance budget to help Norwegians who are struggling to pay their electricity bills.
Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews
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