Policy Document
The Education Act
Benefits & Requirements
Coverage: Requirements for its application
The Act applies to primary, lower-secondary, and upper-secondary education and training in publicly maintained schools and training establishments, unless otherwise stated.
The Act also applies to primary and lower-secondary education and training in private primary and lower-secondary schools that do not receive state support, pursuant to the Independent Schools Act, and to private instruction at home at primary and lower-secondary levels.
Chapter 4 A applies to education designed specifically for adults, for which the municipality or county authority is responsible.
Coverage: Eligible groups or beneficiaries
Children and young people are required to attend primary and lower-secondary education, and have the right to access publicly funded schools in accordance with this Act and regulations pursuant to the Act. The requirements may be met by means of publicly maintained primary and lower-secondary schools or by means of any other equivalent education.
The right to primary and lower-secondary education applies when it is envisaged that a child will reside in Norway for a period of more than three months.
As soon as the residence has lasted for three months, children are required to attend school. The Ministry may exempt pupils from this obligation in special cases.
Children shall normally begin to attend school in the calendar year in which they reach the age of six years. On the basis of an expert assessment and with the written consent of the parents, the municipality may in special cases decide to postpone commencement of school attendance by one year. If the parents request or consent it, the municipality may, on the basis of an expert assessment, allow a child to start school one year earlier if he or she has reached the age of five by 1 April.
Criteria for coverage
The right and obligation to attend school last until the pupil has completed the tenth year of schooling. On the basis of an expert assessment and with the written consent of the parents, the municipality may decide wholly or partly to exempt a pupil from the obligation to receive education if this is found to be in his or her best interests.
If a pupil is absent from compulsory schooling without having the right to do so, his or her parents or those who are in loco parentis may be liable to fines if the absence is a result of deliberate or negligent actions on their part. Public prosecution is not instituted unless so decided by the municipality.
Age range
6-16 years old
Duration (numbers of years of compulsory education stipulated by this document)
10
ISCED levels included in compulsory education
0-2
Dedication (number of hours per week stipulated by this document)
No specific amount
Is educational tracking implemented or modified by this document?
No
Education and training required for a compulsory school teacher stipulated by this document
Persons appointed to teaching posts in primary, lower-secondary and upper-secondary education shall have relevant professional and educational qualifications. The Ministry issues further regulations concerning requirements regarding educational qualifications and experience for persons appointed to teaching posts in different grades and in different types of school.
Teaching staff must have relevant qualifications in the subjects that they will teach. The Ministry issues further regulations concerning relevant qualification requirements for persons who will be teaching in different grades and in different types of schools. The Ministry may also determine in regulations that no requirements for relevant qualifications will be stipulated in some subjects. The requirement for relevant qualifications in the subjects taught does not apply to temporary appointments pursuant to Section 10-6 or pursuant to the Working Environment Act or to appointments made pursuant to the conditions in Section 10-6a. The requirement is also not applicable to staff who, until Section 10-2 entered into force, had satisfactory qualifications according to the requirements for appointment to a teaching post that were in force at that time, or to staff who has completed the former general teacher training programme after Section 10-2 entered into force. The school owner may, to the necessary extent, waive the requirement for relevant qualifications in the subjects taught if the school does not have sufficient qualified teaching staff in the subject. This must be assessed for each school year. At schools with grades from 8 to 10 with fewer than 60 pupils and fewer than five teachers, the requirement for relevant qualifications in subjects taught may be waived for these grades if necessary.
Is the compulsory education of children of undocumented migrants granted by this document?
Yes
Read the Law
Original full text source in native language
LOV-1998-07-17-61
Full text web source in English
Original full text web source in native language
Secondary Literature & Sources
Secondary literature
https://www.regjeringen.no/no/dokumenter/otprp-nr-36-1996-97-/id158512/
https://www.regjeringen.no/no/dokumenter/nou-1995-18/id140365/
https://www.regjeringen.no/no/dokumenter/opplaringsloven/id213315/
https://www.ssb.no/a/english/publikasjoner/pdf/nos_c751_en/nos_c751_en.pdf
Comments & Clarifications
With amendments as of 25 June 2010, 31 May 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014. In force as of 1 August 2014.