Type of Organization(s) [government or non-government organizations such as universities]:
Government
Organization Contact Info:
Direkctorate for Primary and Secondary Education (Utdanningsdirektoratet)
Postbox 2924 Tøyen
N-0608 Oslo
Norway
Tel: + 47 23 30 12 00/23
Fax: +47 23 30 12 99
Web site:www.utdanningsdirektoratet.no
Contact Person(s):
Helen Johannessen
Summary:
The Directorate is meant to be a driving force for quality development in Norwegian primary and secondary education. The establishment of the Directorate is part of the improvements in the national education administration and is one of the elements in a collected national strategy for quality development in primary and secondary education.
The Directorate will be an agency for competence and administration with challenging
and demanding professional and administrative tasks. The Directorate’s main task will be to contribute to a continuous quality development of primary and secondary education, amongst other things by obtaining a broad basis for analysis, assessment, and development measures both regionally and nationally. The Directorate is responsible for the national quality assessment system and has the overall responsibility for supervising the quality of education in Norway. Local school owners – the municipalities, counties and independent schools - are the ones responsible for the quality of education and through the agency of the County Governors the Government will ensure that this quality meets the required national standards.
The Ministry of Education and Research supports a number of measures to improve the learning environment in Norway. Here is a short summary of initiatives and activities which are currently being used by the Ministry, the Directorate of Education and in co-operation with other organisations/institutions.
Description of Organization’s Work in CRE
Schools are being offered anti-bullying programmes such as Olweus’ “Programme of efforts against bullying and anti-social behaviour” and the anti-bullying programme called “Zero” from the Centre for Behavioural Research. These programmes have been prepared with state funds while schools cover the costs of implementation themselves. Almost 800 schools have made use of one of these programmes. Evaluation has shown that the programmes are effective and reduce the incidence of bullying in the schools where they are used systematically.
ConnectOSLO is a three-year research project with a broad approach to the whole of the pupils’ physical and psycho-social learning environment. The project is a further development and implementation of the EU project called “Tackling violence in schools”. The Department of Education in Oslo is making this project available to its schools, with guidance from the Centre for Behavioural Research (SAF). Today 30 schools are involved in the project and research shows that all of them have seen considerable improvements in the learning environment. The results also show a reduction in the number of bullying incidents.
”This is my choice” is a teaching plan about developing class environments and preventive work in primary and secondary schools. More than 21,000 teachers and 800,000 pupils in 1,066 primary and lower secondary schools and 2 upper secondary schools have used this programme since 1990. Broad research-based evaluation indicates that pupils in classes that have used the plan show more positive self-assertion, more empathy and better relations with their fellow pupils.
Peer mediation is a strategy for understanding and dealing with conflicts in schools. The Ministry of Education and Research has funded the training of mediators, the establishment of a network of resource personnel and the development of material. 644 primary and lower secondary schools and 90 upper secondary schools have made use of this programme (As of January 2001).
The pilot project ”Positive behaviour and supportive learning environment in schools” (PALS) is a programme for preventing and reducing the development of behavioural problems amongst children and young people. The pilot project is being tried out in four primary schools in Southern Norway from the autumn of 2002 and will finish at the end of the school year in 2005. The project is undergoing continuous evaluation in order to measure the effects and extent of local follow-up.
The competition called “Together! Without any bullying! “– creative expressions/measures from young people themselves”, which is aimed at pupils in the lower secondary school, was launched in the spring of 2004. The idea is that by March 2005 the competition will get pupils from the lower secondary school to work out artistic expressions that show how harmful bullying is and how it can be stopped.
The programme ”Creative problem solution in schools” (KREPS) is a social cognitive training programme which is aimed at young people between 14 – 16 years. 26 primary and lower secondary schools and 6 upper secondary schools have started using this programme. An evaluation shows that it has been positively received by pupils, teachers and parents/guardians, and that it has positive effects on the pupils’ empathy and control placement.
The subject of bullying is embedded as an interdisciplinary topic in the framework curriculum of teacher training colleges. Teacher training colleges have been allocated funds so that the colleges’ teaching staff can develop their professional competence in this area.
Legislation and Policy Initiatives
In 2003 a new Section 9 A was added to the Norwegian Education Act: “The pupils’ school environment”, which gives “All pupils in primary and secondary schools […] the right to a good physical and psycho-social environment which promotes health, well-being and learning. […] Schools must actively and systematically seek to promote a good psycho-social environment, where each pupil can feel secure and socially included. If a member of the school’s staff understands or suspects that a pupil is subjected to offensive words or actions such as bullying, discrimination, violence or racism, he/she must immediately investigate and alert the school administration, and if necessary and possible, intervene directly him/herself. If a pupil or parent/guardian ask for efforts concerning the psycho-social environment to be implemented, including efforts against offensive behaviour such as bullying, discrimination, violence or racism, the school must as soon as possible treat it in accordance with the regulations for individual decisions as laid down in the Administration Act. If the school does not deal with the case within a reasonable period of time, it will still be possible to complain on the legal basis of the regulations in the Administration Act as if there had been an individual decision.”
Resources
The research programme called ”Childhood environment, problematic behaviour and inclusion” (2003 – 2005) is meant to give improved knowledge and competence regarding problematic behaviour and marginalisation, with a view to finding new possibilities for the childhood environment, learning, inclusion and preventive activities.
The project called “Values in schools” (2002 – 2005) is designed to strengthen the promotion of values and value awareness in schools. The project has received positive attention in municipalities, counties and schools. A number of meetings and conferences are being organised all over the country, and there is cooperation between municipalities and across counties.
”MOT in the lower secondary school” is a three-year preventive teaching programme designed as a tool for the lower secondary school with the aim of increasing the quality of living and reducing bullying, violence and substance abuse. 359 primary and lower secondary schools and 47 upper secondary schools have taken up this programme, which is free.
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