Red- Green Education Policy Savaged by Minister

In this interview with Universitas she puts both red-green politicians and Quality Reform critics under the axe.

«Høyre (a Norwegian conservative party) is the only political party which has a proper policy on Education and R&D.; There is really no other alternative,» Høyre politician Kristin Clemet says.

«Arbeiderpartiet (the Norwegian Labour party) has neglected these areas whereas SV (a Norwegian socialist party) has some kind of alternative policy on Education even though it is weak on content. Their alternative would result in sleeping through the education system and waking up none the wiser. Our alternative results in quality,» she establishes.

Funding Pledge

And since the Election is coming up she allows herself a few election pledges.

«I have nothing against allocating more money into Higher Education. I will review the Quality Reform and listen to what students have to say. This may lead to adjustments being made. What is more, I aspire to increase the position of Norwegian students who decide to go abroad for parts of their education or for an entire course,» Clemet says.

Red- Green vs. Blue

She highlights five points which she thinks clearly separates the political right from the left:

• The current Bondevik- government financed the Quality Reform in full with NOK 1144 million. The last Arbeiderparti- government with Trond Giske as Minister of Education and Research would barely partly finance the Reform.
• The current Bondevik- government thought education institutions should decide for themselves whether management should be elected or employed on Department and Faculty levels. Arbeiderpartiet went for employed management.
• The current Bondevik- government established a quality assurance body (NOKUT) whereas Arbeiderpartiet had no intentions of establishing a corresponding body.
• The current Bondevik- government set a high professional standard for institutions that aim at moving from university college level to university level. Arbeiderpartiet and SV wish this transition were easier.
• Allocation of funds to Higher Education has increased from 5.1 per cent of the Budget when Giske was Minister of Education and Research to 6.6 per cent with Clemet in charge. Norway tops OECD statistics as far as government funding to Higher Education is concerned.

«Political, not professional»

Despite an academic uprising, lay-offs and heavy debating at the University of Oslo (UiO) and in newspapers, Kristin Clemet claims that the opposition against the Quality Reform, which was implemented two years ago, and a law regarding universities has not been of much significance.

«I get a clear and unambiguous impression whenever I travel and meet employees and students. The impression is that the Reform has been implemented in an ample and undisputed manner,» Clemet says.

She thinks that the opposition is more of a political character than of a professional character.

«Kristian Gundersen (Rector candidate at UiO, editor’s annotation) might as well be wearing an SV button. When he or some other reform critic yield the floor, they are not contributing to the professional debate but to a political debate,» Clemet says, while adding rapidly that she does not know which party Gundersen votes for.

«Unfair Criticism»

Furthermore, she feels that much of the criticism is completely misinterpreted.

«What is most appalling about the criticism is its complete lack of suggestions as to alternative solutions,» Clemet says.

«What has been the most challenging in implementing the Quality Reform?»

«Among the most challenging is communicating with everyone around you. When working with communication on Education, you communicate with the entire country and every possible interest group. We aspire to get better at this,» the Minister of Education and Research admits.