Høringssvar fra International School Telemark

Comment from International School Telemark

This possible change in law will have grave consequences for us as an international school and for businesses locally in the Grenland region. Many businesses, both Norwegian and International, that operate in the region, specifically Herøya industripark, need high quality workers from abroad. The international school was set up originally to cater for this need and to develop quality education in the area. We rely on access to recruiting the best English-speaking personnel locally but, more significantly, from elsewhere in the EU and further afield. The school is a critical aspect of the internationalisation of the area, and one of the reasons why a number of businesses choose this location to set up. The knock on effect in the local industry could well mean that businesses look elsewhere in Scandinavia and Northern Europe to relocate where local conditions are more favourable. Grenland is a growth area and the international school part of this local investment. Limiting our choices of staff will impact on the students' education and on families directly. This will also directly affect business growth and development.

This possible law change could well mean we have a substantially lower level of relevant, well qualified and quality staff, to the detriment of the children, families and businesses. As a subsidiary industry, we directly support the continued growth of local and regional businesses and industry, and therefore the local and Norwegian economy.

This document will weaken international schools’ and especially the head’s ability to hire staff. It appears to be very discriminatory against individual non-EU teachers, and also against schools that require non-Norwegian, but especially English-fluent and foreign trained staff. For example, with the UK about to leave the EU this March 2019, any international school will now have huge problems recruiting English language natives as, with 65 million people, the UK is our biggest teachers market and one that Norway has access to being inside the EU, at least for now.

We will be severely weakened in our ability to cater for parents, families and businesses that need international teachers to fulfil the IB programmes, both in this region and in the whole of Norway Choice is critical, and we need to choose the best teachers with excellent English to support the development and growth of local and international business. Parents and families who are attracted to the region and to jobs partly, due to the IB programmes and quality learning experience offered at the international school, will look elsewhere.

The proposed law change seems to be totally counter-productive. It states that the child convention gives the right for countries to have their own action to protect children. Surely there is a better and more sophisticated check system rather than to punish people, schools and actually children in this way. Are there any documented facts that suggest that there is an ongoing problem with foreign teachers as opposed to native teachers in terms of criminality?

This law, if it comes to pass, will make it almost impossible for international schools to hire outside of Norway, the EU, and anyone but those expatiates who are already in the EU. Seeing as we need fluency and skills from English speaking countries, we will be unable to hire direct from most of the English speaking world outside of the Republic of Ireland. This could be very problematic and will undoubtedly affect the quality of our work and that of the children’s teaching. Ironic really, as this law is based on children’s rights and what’s best for children.

Best wishes,

Dr Richard Caffyn (Principal, International School Telemark)

Laila Lerum (Board Chair, International School Telemark)