NORWAY SPECIAL REPORT: Canceled exams raise concerns about gaps in education in Norway

 

OSLO, FEB 11: After Minister of Education Guri Melby (V) canceled written exams in junior high schools and upper secondary schools on Monday, several people expressed worries about the effects.

“The Minister of Education’s move of canceling this year’s exams… should sound the alarm at universities and colleges,” Live Olsen Hølmo, leader of Econa Student, told Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK).

Econa is an interest and employee organization for students, master’s graduates in economics and administration, and others.

“The problem is not whether they are ready for the exam, but whether they are professionally ready for higher education,” she said.

Eivind Aabakken, leader of Econa’s local student group at Nord University, fears that more people will drop out.

Aabakken: Measures necessary

If they are not ready to transition from upper secondary school to university, measures must be introduced. If no measures are implemented, there is a higher risk of more people dropping out. Nobody wants that, he emphasizes.

In a commend, Melby noted that she is aware that the school year has not been ideal and that many students have had several periods away from school, in addition to more digital teaching.

Minister of Research and Higher Education Henrik Asheim (H) says he expects the universities and colleges to follow up on all students.

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COURTESY norwaytoday

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Sweden extends entry ban

 

STOCKHOLM, FEB 8: The Swedish government decided to extend its entry ban for Norwegians, Danes, and Britons until March.

Other EU citizens are still allowed to enter the country if they have a negative coronavirus test, Swedish Radio reports.

Sweden’s Minister of the Interior Mikael Damberg defended the entry ban, noting that there is still a risk of mutated coronavirus variants entering the country.

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COURTESY norwaytoday

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NORWAY SPECIAL REPORT: Norwegian govt working on new travel guidelines for winter holidays

 

OSLO, FEB 4: Minister of Health Bent Høie (H) confirms that the government is working to provide updated travel advice ahead of the winter holidays in week 8 and week 9.

“We would have liked to put the information out even faster, but due to the situation that has arisen, we need more time,” Høie noted at a press conference on Wednesday.

He reiterated that people should not plan leisure trips abroad at Easter or earlier.

The Minister of Health also explained why the government has not come up with a clearer definition of the notion of “unnecessary travel.”

“Sometimes it is very necessary to visit family elsewhere in the country, other times it is completely unnecessary. 

“We want people to limit these trips, but each individual must decide for themselves. Most people are good at it,” Høie said.

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COURTESY norwaytoday

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NORWAY SPECIAL REPORT: In case you missed: Norway’s new rules for citizenship, residency

 

OSLO, FEB 4: Applying for a Norwegian citizenship or thinking about it? Read on for more details.

At the very end of 2020, the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) published an update in the Citizen Act legislation.

Increase in residency requirement

Be aware that the residency requirement has changed if you’re seeking permanent residence or citizenship in Norway.

The update applies to:

• Those who are married to a Norwegian
• Those who have a Norwegian cohabitant
• Those who have a registered Norwegian partner
• Those living in Norway based on special protections or other considerations
• Those living in Norway based on family reunification

If you’re in one of these groups, the permanent residence requirement -based on residency – for you is increasing from three to five years.

During these five years, you’re permitted to travel abroad for a maximum of 10 months.

Time-based exemptions

If you meet the following two requirements, the new rule does not apply to you:

• Applying for citizenship in the application portal by February 1, 2021, and;
• Meeting the three-year residency requirement by December 1, 2020

If you meet both of these requirements, you do not have to add two additional years.

But if you applied on or after December 1, 2020, you will have to meet the new rule of five years.

For more information, head here.

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COURTESY norwaytoday

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Norway’s health institute refuses to rank different corona vaccines

 

OSLO, FEB 4: The National Institute of Public Health (FHI) will not rank the different vaccines, even if the corona vaccine from AstraZeneca really does reduce the spread of infection, FHI director Camilla Stoltenberg noted.

“The vaccines can be compared according to several dimensions, but today there has been news that we will examine more thoroughly,” she said, referring to the news that the AstraZeneca vaccine significantly reduces the spread of infection.

“If it is true, it is very good news,” Stoltenberg noted.

“But we have no basis for ranking the vaccines… It will be important for us to go into more detail and say something about each of their properties,” she added.

She also pointed out that the AstraZeneca vaccine’s effectiveness is not bad at all compared to regular flu vaccines.

According to a study conducted at the University of Oxford in the UK, a single dose of AstraZeneca vaccine provides 76% protection for up to 90 days and reduces the risk of infecting others by 67%.

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COURTESY norwaytoday

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