Building Equality and Social Justice through Education

Abstract

The ideal of an egalitarian and just society has, since the 1930s, been part of the Norwegian social democratic society and traditions, manifested through Norway's political parties' programs and stated in the country's policy documents. This article argues that educational policies are a crucial instrument for a nation to establish social justice. Looking at this society today, one finds elements supporting the claim that the Norwegian welfare state has been succeeding in implementing an educational model that, to some extent, places priority on the collective over the individual. Another claim is that the country has been pursuing the aim of educating as many individuals as possible up to the highest quality level that can be attained. Norway has, in this way, shown the strong concern of its educational authorities to establish an egalitarian educational system.