Teachers into Supervisors: The State Is Changing Norwegian Teachers

Abstract

Since the 1940s Norwegian national school policy has put a strong emphasis on the ideal of a comprehensive school system for all pupils between the ages of seven to sixteen. This school system has not allowed tracking of pupils by their school grades. In the 1990s the compulsory school was extended from nine to ten years, which meant that the minimum age for starting school was lowered from seven to six years of age.¹ The concept of a comprehensive school for all pupils had broad support in the Norwegian parliament with the social-democratic Labor Party as principal spokesperson. The financing and administration of schools is the responsibility of the state, provinces, and counties, and pupils attend schools without any fees.