– I wish there were more people who started with me. We need more teachers.
18-year-old Inger Christin Hystad Barane sits on the school desk at the teacher training college in Stord.
For five years, she will study to become a primary school teacher for grades five to ten.
But it is far from crowded inside the classroom.
Only seven others showed up for the first day of study at the same education. In addition, seven showed up to start primary school teacher training in years 1–7. steps.
– We will probably get to know each other well anyway, says Barane.
Inger Christin Hystad Barane together with the rest of the gang who will start primary school teacher training for 5.–10. steps.
Photo: Olav Røli / NRK
Fewer will become teachers
At Stord, they have been training teachers since 1839. 20 years ago, around 100 fresh student teachers started their education here.
Today, only 15 future teachers turned up for the first day of school.
– The trend has pointed downwards in recent years. And it is part of a larger national trend, says deputy dean for regional development at HVL, Sigurd Sandvold.
The decline has been particularly noticeable this year.
– On average, I’ve had around 50-60 new students on the teacher training course in the last ten years, says Sandvold.
Will have less detailed management of teachers
The fact that there are few student teachers at Stord is part of a national trend.
Figures from Samordna admissions show that there were 21.9 per cent fewer applicants for the teacher training courses this year than last year. Not since 2008 have so few applied for teacher training in Norway.
Education Minister Sandra Borch tells NRK that she takes the decline in the number of applicants very seriously.
– The most important thing we can do to recruit is to ensure that nurseries and schools are good places to work. We want to increase trust in the teachers in the school and reduce detailed management, she says.
Together with Education Minister Tonje Brenna, she is now working to create a new strategy for recruiting and retaining teachers.
Inger Christin Hystad Barane and Mari Elisabeth Kollstrand think five years of higher education is a lot.
Photo: Olav Røli / NRK
I think five years of study is too much
Both Inger Christin Hystad Barane and her new student friend Mari Elisabeth Kollstrand believe that the length of the course may have affected the number of applicants.
From autumn 2017, a five-year master’s degree was introduced for primary school teachers.
– I think you have to consider the length of the education. Especially if you come straight from secondary school, it is difficult to start a five-year course, says Barane.
She hopes the politicians will come up with measures that can get more people to take teacher training.
– Education is the basis for most everything, and the consequences of too few teachers are great, she says.
2023-08-14 19:43:35
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