Fair Enough
Satisfied with Funding
A recent opinion poll surprisingly indicates that people aged under 30 are generally satisfied with the current higher education funding of about 80,000 Norwegian kroner.
FOTO: Silje Eide
According to the survey made by Sentio on behalf of Norsk Studentunion (NSU), the national union of students in Norway, and Universitas, the majority in the most frequent age group, viz. people under 30, are satisfied with the current level of higher education funding compared to other members of the population. Older age groups mostly feel that we are better off with increasing the level to at least 100,000 Norwegian kroner. There is also an unquestionable majority in favour of increasing the level among members of the population earning more than one hundred thousand a year.
Parents Are Fed Up
Ottar Hellevik, an MMI (a leading Norwegian agency in market research) employee and a doctor of political science at the University of Oslo, believes that there is no reason to assume that the survey only provides one plausible interpretation.
“In my opinion, the fact that people vary their answers to such an extent shows that there is no particular stand which is commonly held. Except the fact that few people think that 60,000 kroner would be sufficient funding per year.”
(I)“Do people in general possess the necessary insight into the student situation in order to argue what level funding should be at?”
“Students themselves are probably the most suitable to answer for their own financial situation. Oftentimes, spectators rather than the actual involved voice their critical opinions based on stories in the media more than personal experiences.”
Hellevik also employs another theory that he believes could serve as an explanation to the gap between those who are above and below their thirties.
“In terms of higher education funding, parents, who are fed up with the money issues they have with their children in school, probably play an important role.”
Political Division
Jørn Henriksen, the leader of Norsk Studentunion (NSU), the national union of students in Norway, sees no problem with the results as far as NSU` s fight for increased funding is concerned. He would much rather emphasise the fact that other age groups hold that funding should be increased.
“This goes to show that the people are behind us in working towards achieving our demands to increase “cost guidelines”. The long–term goal is 100,000 kroner to each student in funding.”
Frank Aarebrot, an election analyst and a doctor of comparative politics at the University of Bergen, thinks that the division of political parties in the survey provides a typical central vs. peripheral image.
“Those who aim at keeping funding at 80,000 are the political centre, i.e. the political parties KrF and Sp. Rural districts are in clear contrast to urban districts. 80,000 is probably a larger amount in the North than in the East.
This is what members of the Standing Committee on Education, Research and Church Affairs think:
Vidar Bjørnstad (Ap)
“Subject to the opinion poll, we enjoy vast support among our own voters to increase welfare among students.”
Arne Sortevik (FrP)
“We would also like to look into an increase in higher education funding, not that I can mention any numbers. But we nevertheless suggest to increase the amount of which is a grant from 40 to 50 per cent.”
Rune J. Skjælaaen (Sp)
“Many will be taken by surprise when the student loan is due to be paid back. And this is probably the reason why a lot of students are eager to keep the current level.”
Rolf Reikvam (SV)
“I am somewhat dazzled by the fact that students themselves are not clear on wanting to increase funding. But we nevertheless act in accordance with SV–voters in the survey when we strive to set “cost guidelines” for grants and loans to the same amount as basic pension (100,000 kroner).”
Arne Lyngstad (KrF)
“I think that young people` s concern over environmental issues and international solidarity can be explained through anti–materialism. And I do not consider the result of the survey to be surprising.”
Ine Marie Eriksen (H)
“I understand the result of the survey in light of the assumption that older age groups probably have a higher level of costs and reply correspondingly. I otherwise think that higher education funding is good, in spite of everything, but there is always room for improvement.”
