page_title: Socialist Left Party (Norway)
section_title: Education
hierarchical_section_title: Socialist Left Party (Norway) / Ideology / Position / Education
caption_attribution_description: Norsk bokmål: Bård Vegar Solhjell (SV) under paneldebatten i forbindelse med førpremieren på filmen Urospredere.
context_page_description: The Socialist Left Party or SV, is a democratic socialist political party in Norway.
  In 2005, the party became a governing party for the first time, participating in the Red-Green Coalition with the Labour Party and the Centre Party; before that, SV was frequently turned down by the Labour Party. Following the 2013 election, the party was reduced to seventh-largest party in its worst election on record, and became a part of the opposition.
  The party was founded in 1973 as the Socialist Electoral League, an electoral coalition with the Communist Party, Socialist People's Party, Democratic Socialists - AIK, and independent socialists. In 1975, the coalition was turned into a unified political party. The party was largely founded as a result of the foreign policies prevalent at the time, with the socialists being opposed to Norwegian membership of the European Union and NATO. While currently having the official ideology of democratic socialism, the party also increasingly profiles itself as a supporter of feminism and environmentalism. It calls for a stronger public sector, more government involvement in the economy, and a strengthening of the social welfare net.
context_section_description: Education has been one of main campaign issues since Kristin Halvorsen became party leader. Øystein Djupedal was elected Minister of Education and Research, and held that position for two years. He was replaced by fellow Socialist Left politician Bård Vegar Solhjell. Halvorsen took over the ministry in late 2009. Djupedal's first assignment in office was granting 10 million kr to "even out social differences" between ethnic minorities. The party believes that everyone has the right to free access to kindergarten. Anders Folkestad, leader of the Confederation of Unions for Professionals, was not pleased with Djupedal's efforts during his term in office, saying, "Djupedal has created much uncertainty and a mess after he became Minister of Education and Research. Many had great expectations, but he is sure lagging behind from the time when he was a sideliner". Djupedal was heavily criticised by the Norwegian media for his controversial and bizarre statements. In late 2005, it was estimated that students studying general, business, and administrative studies would save up to 11,978 kr under the Red-Green Coalition; school books became free when the coalition took power.
  The party wants to reduce the number of private schools; Djupedal claims they are of no use. Bård Vegar Solhjell said he believed government-funded schools helped "smoothing social inequality". He further stated, "Many of those who remain outside the labor market have received lack of training from school. It prevents them from contributing to the community. Parties on the right often confuse social security and welfare schemes as the problem; however, we tend to look at why they are struggling. There are systematic connections between social background and lack of training - it is a class question where something is needed to be done." Others believe that the party should nationalise non-public schools. Torbjørn Urfjell, former leader of the Socialist Youth chapter in Vest-Agder, said, "School and adolescence is too important to be left to the market. Therefore, they should be taken back." During the 2005 election, the party promised to increase resources to public schools, believing that more money would lead to fewer pupils per teacher, and thus more individualised and personal instructions.
caption: Solhjell was Minister of Education and Research before Halvorsen took over the office
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