Bjørgulv Vinje Borgundvåg entangles himself in his post in Dagsavisen (31 October) into a jumble of vicarious motives and shaky arguments in a desperate attempt to defend Oslo Høyre’s school policy, with major cuts in budgets.
On the whole, his text is a school example of skipping over the actual problem in the Oslo School: Namely that the Conservative Party’s answer to weak school finances is to give the schools even less money. Understand it whoever can.
When the Conservatives are more concerned with blaming others than doing the work themselves, it becomes difficult to discuss the challenges in schools.
Next year, 80 million will be cut, and the following year it will be in place cut of 535 million until 2028. Funnily enough, that number is five million kroner lower than the 540 million that the Conservative Party has reduced the property tax in Oslo by since they took over. Priorities, priorities.
Because it was about finances and absenteeism the matter I commented on. So rather than drawing reading skills into a case that was about school finances, Bjørgulv should put on his glasses and read the case once more.
What was important to me when I was a city councillor, and which is still important to me today, is to strengthen schools so that all children can learn, master and thrive.
Oslo is a class-divided and segregated city, and in school policy we must take that into account when prioritizing. That is difficult to do when schools have to cut back.
When the Conservatives are more concerned with blaming others than doing the work themselves, it becomes difficult to discuss the challenges in schools.
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After the pandemic, we have seen the absenteeism figures accelerate. For me, it is an eye-opener that the school today pushes far too many children out of the community.
If the Conservative Party’s answer to that is cuts in school budgets, more compulsory tests, more grades and cuts in school meals, then they are failing Oslo’s children and young people.