– High school does not close – VG

Director Hege Nilssen in the Directorate of Education is one of those reacting to Viken’s communication about the next measures in upper secondary schools in the giant county with more than 1.2 million inhabitants.

– The authority for decision-making corresponds to the local health authorities. But we are concerned that it is clear which regulations apply. Regulations state that school closings should not be used as a general preventative measure, Nilssen told VG.

He has asked the supervisory authority of the county governor in Oslo and Viken to investigate what the owner of the school, the Viken County Municipality, has actually decided.

The background was the media coverage on Thursday and this phrase in the press release from the county council leader and head of central crisis management in Viken, Tonje Brenna:

“The red level means that teaching in upper secondary schools is mainly done digitally and that students do not have to attend school.”

Now Brenna clarifies what really matters:

– Many students want digital teaching from home. But this will vary between schools. In a school with many career subjects, students will still be able to attend school mainly if it is considered to be the best solution. It is the local schools that evaluate the measures against the infection situation, says the highest elected leader in the large county.

The Oslo and County Governor Viken, for education director Grethe Hovde Parr, contacted the administration in Viken on Thursday to investigate whether a new school closure was introduced, in violation of the guidelines.

– I contacted the administration in Viken County Township on Thursday, among other things, following media reports of school closings. I was reassured when they assured me that they had not interpreted the red level to the point where upper secondary schools would close. If this is supposed to happen in practice, we must ask for the decision basis in writing which is the basis, Parr tells VG on Friday morning.

The Director of Education, Hege Nilssen, of the Directorate of Education, says that the situation is demanding and may have problems in schools.

– I experience that there is great respect for what is done locally. But it can be difficult to understand which rules apply. Therefore, on Thursday afternoon, we mass mailed to all kindergartens and schools with rules and guidelines. He claims that the red action level is sufficient to handle the situation that the increase in infection has now led to, says Nilssen, who emphasizes that the red action level no it involves the closure of schools, but is instead a step in the right direction to keep schools open.

– Many students, teachers and school staff are concerned about being exposed to infections and spreading disease with open schools

– Yes, I understand very well this concern of both the school staff and the students. But we have a good knowledge base on infections in kindergartens and schools. The knowledge base also indicates that teachers are not more exposed to the infection than other occupational groups, Nilssen responds.

Of the 1,620 cases of infection in the 13-19-year-old age group from the start of the outbreak to the end of October, less than 6 percent have stated that school is a likely site of infection, according to Aftenposten.

This is demonstrated by Thursday’s note “Infection in young people in Norway” from the National Institute of Public Health (NIPH).

The representative of the Storting, Solveig Schytz (V) from Viken, is one of those who is surprised by the message of Viken’s leadership to the upper secondary schools. She remembers that upper secondary schools have experience of operating at the red level before, and that does not mean schools closed.

– Schools operated on the red level this spring so they have experience with this. It is very important that there is some physical attendance to schools for upper secondary students. It is especially important for students of professional subjects. Many young people are vulnerable. Much more loneliness, homeschooling and zero physical provision carry the risk of more people dropping out of school, Schytz tells VG.