– We agree on a joint agreement on how to manage and finance the nursery sector. It is important to create predictability and calm in the kindergartens, which are a basic and important welfare offer, says the Labor Party’s Elise Waagen to NTB.
Patient focus is also involved in the settlement, where the government therefore goes to the right to secure a majority.
– For the Center Party, a settlement that stands up over time is more important than the fads of the wing parties. Now we ensure good kindergartens close to people throughout Norway. We have greatly reduced the nursery price, now we are taking new steps to improve quality, says Marit Knutsdatter Strand, education policy spokesperson for the Center Party, to NTB.
Desired broad settlement
The parties in the Storting have been negotiating since before the summer about the new law for how the private kindergartens are to be managed and financed. The goal was to achieve a new, broad kindergarten settlement – for the first time since 2003.
Along the way, both Frp, SV and Rødt have broken off the negotiations. MDG also ultimately chose to stay out.
– MDG has chosen not to become part of the settlement because the decisions are not good enough to ensure a good enough nursery for children and employees in the years to come. The fact that there are no concrete measures that will strengthen staffing, create lower sickness absence and ensure good recruitment is worrying, says MDG’s Une Bastholm.
Recently, several people have advocated increased staffing in the kindergartens, and several of the parties that have withdrawn from the settlement highlight this point.
Will clarify the staffing rules
The six parties that agree emphasize that it is required by law to have such good staffing in the kindergartens that the staff can run a satisfactory educational activity.
– This requirement applies throughout the opening hours, also in the event of illness and other absences. The parties believe that it must be emphasized that substitutes must be obtained if the staffing situation dictates this, it is further stated.
They also ask the government to follow up and clarify how the staffing regulations are to be understood, what constitutes appropriate staffing. It must also be clarified when it is necessary to bring in substitutes and, if necessary, cut the opening hours.
The parties in the settlement also agree that pension schemes must be part of the bill that is presented to the Storting.
The aim is that there should be equal rights for employees in private and public kindergartens.
SV: – Fails the left side
SV’s education policy spokesperson, Grete Wold, says that the settlement does not solve any of the problems in the kindergartens.
– We have a staffing crisis out there. This settlement does not consider solving it at all. We must ensure that the money allocated to the kindergartens goes to our children. Neither does this settlement. And we must make sure that the commercial players cannot shut down overnight. That doesn’t solve this settlement either, she says to NTB.
She is disappointed that the government parties go to the bourgeois parties to get a majority.
– It shows that they are once again failing the left in politics. They could have reached a settlement with us that would have secured a kindergarten law that would have done something about the challenges in the sector, she says.
– “Honk and drive and go” for the commercial ones
Rødt’s Hege Bae Nyholt says that they tried to be constructive in the negotiations, but that the majority chose not to listen to several of their proposals.
– This is a kind of “honk and drive and go” for the commercial nurseries, she says.
– I am disappointed. Here, the governing parties have chosen the right over their own politics. They have entered into a settlement that is so broad that it does not take into account the crises in the nursery sector, she tells NTB.
PBL: Positive clarifications
Director Jørn-Tommy Schjelderup of the National Association of Private Kindergartens (PBL), which organizes several of the commercial kindergartens, says that there will be several “positive and very important clarifications in the settlement”.
– After a long period of much polarized debate, and also far-reaching proposals that would have been very dramatic for private kindergartens, it is good that the parties have managed to agree on a document that mentions many of the central themes, he says.
He praises both the governing parties and the opposition for having worked constructively on the issue over time.
– And with good intentions about balanced and sustainable solutions, he says.
#Agreement #kindergarten #law #demand #staffing
What are the key elements included in the recent kindergarten sector agreement discussed by Elise Waagen?
**Interview with Elise Waagen, Labor Party Spokesperson**
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us today, Elise. The recent negotiations surrounding the kindergarten sector have been a hot topic. Can you summarize the key agreement that has been reached?
**Elise Waagen:** Absolutely. We are pleased to announce a joint agreement aimed at managing and financing the nursery sector more effectively. Our primary goal is to create a predictable and calm environment in kindergartens, which we believe are essential welfare services. This agreement is a significant step toward ensuring stability for both children and staff.
**Interviewer:** Marit Knutsdatter Strand from the Center Party mentioned that ensuring quality in kindergartens is a priority. Can you elaborate on the measures that will improve quality?
**Elise Waagen:** Yes, quality is at the forefront of our discussions. We have already reduced nursery prices significantly, which helps families financially. Moving forward, we are committed to increasing staffing levels and ensuring that there are adequate substitutes available, especially during illnesses and absences. This will help maintain a high standard of educational activity for the children.
**Interviewer:** It seems there are concerns about staffing and the involvement of certain parties in these negotiations. Can you clarify the situation regarding the parties that opted out of the settlement?
**Elise Waagen:** Several parties, including Frp, SV, Rødt, and MDG, have chosen to withdraw from the negotiations. MDG expressed concerns that the current decisions do not adequately address the challenges facing our kindergartens, particularly regarding staffing and recruitment. While we respect their views, the six parties in the settlement firmly believe we have designed a framework that will ensure better outcomes for kindergartens throughout Norway.
**Interviewer:** Staffing has emerged as a critical issue. What specific actions are the parties committed to addressing this?
**Elise Waagen:** The settlement emphasizes the legal requirements for staffing in kindergartens, ensuring that staff can conduct satisfactory educational activities. We want to clarify what constitutes appropriate staffing and the circumstances that necessitate bringing in substitutes. Our goal is also to ensure that pension schemes are equitable for both private and public kindergarten employees.
**Interviewer:** Some critics, like Grete Wold from SV, claim that the settlement fails to solve the staffing crisis. How do you respond to such criticisms?
**Elise Waagen:** While we acknowledge that there are significant challenges in the sector, we believe our agreement lays a solid foundation for improving staffing levels and overall quality in kindergartens. We are committed to continuous dialog and adjustments as needed to ensure that our kindergartens can meet the needs of children and families effectively.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Elise, for shedding light on this important issue. We look forward to seeing how these agreements will develop in practice.
**Elise Waagen:** Thank you for having me. I appreciate the opportunity to discuss the future of our kindergartens, which play such a crucial role in our society.
