EQUITY IN EDUCATION THEMATIC REVIEW COUNTRY ANALYTICAL REPORT NORWAY Prepared by Vibeke Opheim NIFU October 2004 Table of contents Introduction ............................................................................................................................................5 List of Acronyms .....................................................................................................................................7 SECTION I: CONTEXT 8 Chapter 1: Country’s Context and Current Equity Situation ...............................................................8 Definition and discussion of equity in education ...........................................................................................8 Limitations and analytical scope ..................................................................................................................10 The Norwegian context ...................................................................................................................10 Indigenous people, national and language minorities...................................................................................11 The immigrant population............................................................................................................................12 Cultural and political context around equity in education..........................................................12 History at a glance........................................................................................................................................12 Current political context...............................................................................................................................14 The present educational system .....................................................................................................15 Pre-primary education ..................................................................................................................................16 Compulsory school.......................................................................................................................................16 Upper secondary education ..........................................................................................................................18 Tertiary education ........................................................................................................................................19 Folk high schools .........................................................................................................................................20 Adult learning...............................................................................................................................................20 SECTION II: OPPORTUNITIES AND OUTCOMES 22 Chapter 2: Profile of Equity in Education...........................................................................................22 Participation rates ...........................................................................................................................22 Pre-primary education ..................................................................................................................................22 Primary and Lower Secondary Education....................................................................................................22 Upper Secondary Education.........................................................................................................................23 Tertiary education ........................................................................................................................................24 Adult learning and workplace learning ........................................................................................................25 Completion rates..............................................................................................................................26 Completion rates in compulsory education ..................................................................................................26 Completion rates in upper secondary education...........................................................................................26 Upper secondary completion rates among the age group 50-54...................................................................26 Upper secondary graduation rates ................................................................................................................26 Completion rates in tertiary education..........................................................................................................27 Completion rates in tertiary education among 50-54 year olds....................................................................28 Labour market outcomes................................................................................................................28 Survival rates in tertiary education...............................................................................................29 School performance in compulsory education..............................................................................29 Drop-out rates among secondary and tertiary education students.............................................30 Evidence from tests of cognitive skills (PISA, TIMSS, IALS).....................................................30 PISA .............................................................................................................................................................30 TIMSS..........................................................................................................................................................32 IALS/SIALS.................................................................................................................................................33 Evidence that outcome inequities are growing or shrinking in the country? ............................33 2 Earnings over the life cycle.............................................................................................................34 Sources of data.................................................................................................................................35 SECTION III: POLICIES, PROGRAMMES, AND INITIATIVES 36 Chapter 3: Active Educational Policies Bearing on Equity ................................................................36 Reform 94: Upper secondary education reform...........................................................................36 The follow-up service...................................................................................................................................37 The evaluation of Reform 94........................................................................................................................37 Reform 97: The Compulsory School Reform ...............................................................................38 The evaluation of Reform 97........................................................................................................................38 The Competence Reform of adult education and training ..........................................................39 The Quality Reform in Norwegian Higher Education.................................................................40 Policy affecting pre-primary education.........................................................................................41 The cash benefit scheme...............................................................................................................................41 The pre-primary education agreement (Barnehageforliket) .........................................................................41 Policy in comprehensive school......................................................................................................42 The Differentiation project (Differensieringsprosjektet)..............................................................................42 The "Pupil inspectors" (Elevinspektørene)...................................................................................................42 Policy aimed at indigenous people and language minorities .......................................................42 Indigenous people ........................................................................................................................................42 Language minorities.....................................................................................................................................42 Government strategic plan: "Equal education in practice"...........................................................................45 Policy aimed at pupils with special needs......................................................................................45 Financial assistance to students......................................................................................................46 Looking into the future: Forthcoming policy changes in the education system ........................47 Chapter 4: Non-educational Policies that Affect Outcomes in the Education Sector........................49 Policy on combating poverty ..........................................................................................................49 Vocational rehabilitation (attføring).............................................................................................................49