[ad_1]
During the hearing following Dagbladet’s revelations about the Oslo school, education director Marte Gerhardsen boasted of the school’s commitment to scientific talent.
Gerhardsen said, contrary to Dagbladet’s case about discontinued talent investment in the Science Center, that it should now be used plus money for talent investment through collaboration with the Science Center.
Center Manager: – Unknown to me
Several opposition politicians immediately closed their eyes: they were unaware of the initiative at the Science Center.
And Dagbladet can now say that the collaboration that Gerhardsen boasted of is also completely unknown to the leader of the Science Center.
– I did not know that the municipality of Oslo had plans to expand the investment of talent in the school through cooperation with us. I spoke to the agency before Christmas, and if these plans had existed, they would have told me, Safina De Klerk tells Dagbladet.
It is a layer of junction between the state and individuals that today runs the Science Center. The Oslo municipality has not been involved, and De Klerk believes Gerhardsen tried to take credit for the success of the Science Centers.
– That’s why I reacted strongly when Mars Gerhardsen said what he said, continues De Klerk.
Pointing at each other: – Very reprehensible
– Is not true
The background to the talent investment discussion is Dagbladet’s case that the municipality is disrupting investment of popular talent in science at the Oslo school.
When asked if Gerhardsen lied, De Klerk answers the following:
– As far as I know, what Gerhardsen said is not true. And I suppose that if the Education Agency expanded the investment of talent, it would have been natural for them to mention it to us, who lead this investment of talent. It’s a bit tricky to expand our offering without talking to us along the way, says De Klerk.
The alarm sounded in SMS: – Sensational
Mars calls rude
During the hearing, Oslo politicians demanded, among other things, responses to Dagbladet’s disclosures about pay lines, director appointments, the use of consultants, mass layoffs and misguided text messages at the Education Agency.
– It is rude for Gerhardsen to say that the Oslo school is expanding something. They have received an offer for 4.5 million served on a silver platter by us for a long time. Our offer will be expanded, but it is thanks to private actors, not the Education Agency. It is very free for Gerhardsen to use it as an excuse at the hearing, says De Klerk.
De Klerk says the Science Center now expects Gerhardsen to bring in the talent investment money he promised live.
– We are now very, very anxious about the increased resources that Mars Gerhardsen and Inga Mars Thorkildsen have promised us, as they have both been absent for us so far. Now we can expand and invest even more. It’s very good, says De Klerk.
Right: – Serious and disturbing
Mehmet Khan Inan, faction leader of the Conservative Party, says Gerhardsen’s remarks are serious.
– This is not the first time that politicians have been misinformed by Director Marte Gerhardsen. It is serious and worrying that we have been misinformed again. So that we can continue to have confidence in the director of education, I hope and demand that we get the correct answers to the questions politicians ask, he tells Dagbladet.
He also criticizes the responsible councilor Inga Marte Thorkildsen (SV).
– Councilor Inga Marte Torkildsen has said the same things as the principal, and that worries me on behalf of all the students in Oslo. Here we have a talent investment that the state pays for and represents, and the city council has a responsibility to follow up on this talent investment. The city council cannot do that, he says.
30 directors with millions of salary: – Spraying
Gerhardsen’s answer
Mars Gerhardsen has not responded to Dagbladet’s questions in the case, but has provided an email statement.
Dagbladet also requested a telephone interview with Gerhardsen about the case. The request was denied.
– The education agency feels that the collaboration with the Talent Center is extremely good, and we hope they want to continue our collaboration, Gerhardsen opens in the email.
– The Talent Program is an offer for students moving from 7th to 2nd grade in high school. We have worked together for a long time in the sense that we have encouraged schools to apply for the talent program for our students. Starting in the fall of 2020, the offer was expanded with additional places, a total of 90 places, in three upper secondary schools; Hellerud, Hersleb and Persbråten. The offer is city-wide, which means that students from all primary and secondary schools in Oslo can apply for admission.
– The plan also involves increasing the competence of teachers in the three upper secondary schools. The expansion to three upper secondary schools is financed by Sparebankstiftelsen. We see this as an investment in the collaboration between the Talent Center and the agency and we are pleased that the Talent Center is helping to increase the competence of teachers in the three Oslo schools. We are happy that the talent center has been so positive and contributes in such a valuable way to our students and teachers, says the director of education.
