– 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Recently, several people have advocated increased staffing in the kindergartens, and several of the parties that have withdrawn from the settlement highlight this point.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 components of the new kindergarten settlement that will ensure stability and quality in early childhood education?
**Interview with Elise Waagen, Labor Party Spokesperson, on the New Kindergarten Settlement**
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining me today, Elise. There has been significant discussion around the new agreement for managing and financing kindergartens. Can you summarize the main points of this agreement?
**Elise Waagen:** Absolutely. This agreement aims to create predictability and stability within our kindergartens, which are essential to our welfare system. We’ve come together to ensure that children have access to quality early childhood education while addressing the financial aspects that will allow private and public kindergartens to thrive.
**Interviewer:** Marit Knutsdatter Strand from the Center Party emphasized the importance of long-term solutions over temporary fixes. What are your thoughts on that?
**Elise Waagen:** I completely agree. It’s crucial that our solutions are sustainable and serve the communities effectively. The Center Party’s focus on improving quality while reducing costs for parents aligns well with our goals. This is not just about the present; it’s about creating a reliable framework for the future of our children’s education.
**Interviewer:** There seems to be a division among parties, with some like MDG opting out due to concerns about systemic issues, particularly staffing. How do you address these worries?
**Elise Waagen:** It’s a valid concern. Staffing is critical to the quality of education children receive in kindergartens. The agreement mandates that staffing levels should be sufficient to ensure a satisfactory educational experience at all times. We recognize the need to clarify these staffing regulations further, especially about substituting staff during absences. This is something we will be pushing the government to address proactively.
**Interviewer:** Speaking of clarity, there have been calls to improve recruitment and lower illnesses among staff. How does the settlement plan to tackle these issues?
**Elise Waagen:** There’s a commitment in the agreement to ensure that pension schemes are part of the legislation, establishing equal rights for employees in both private and public kindergartens. This should help in attracting and retaining capable staff. Furthermore, we’re calling for concrete measures to boost recruitment and improve working conditions to lower sickness rates.
**Interviewer:** Some parties, like SV, argue that this agreement does not sufficiently resolve the existing staffing crises in kindergartens. What’s your response to that criticism?
**Elise Waagen:** While I acknowledge their concerns, I believe that this settlement lays the groundwork for ongoing improvements. It’s the first major revision in over two decades. We can’t solve every issue overnight, but this agreement represents a structured approach to address them progressively. We need to work together and keep the dialogue open to ensure that we meet the needs of both children and educators.
**Interviewer:** Thank you for your insights, Elise. It will be interesting to see how this agreement progresses in the coming months.
**Elise Waagen:** Thank you for having me. I’m optimistic about the future of our kindergartens and the positive impact this agreement will have on our communities.