The "Privatisation" of Education in the Kingdom of Norway

The article discusses the Norwegian response to the neoliberal movement of privatising public education. Neoliberal trends in public services,  including education, mainly manifest themselves in the affirmation of the economic efficiency in public services provision, increased participation of private and non-governmental organisations and the creation of quasi-markets. In Norway likewise in other Scandinavian countries the reform of public sector has not been strongly influenced by neoliberal ideology and the New Public Management. On the other hand, it was the political decentralisation and empowerment of local communities that shaped the organisation and management of the school system. The primary aim of the Norwegian education is to ensure equality and inclusion for all students, regardless of their gender, abilities, family background, nationality and health condition. !e article presents the historical path of public and non-public schooling in Norway illustrated by the statistical data concerning kindergartens, schools and pupils respectively. The central and local government still provides the vast majority of public education services and the non-public sector remains limited. Nevertheless in the last 10 years the rise in the number of private schools has been noticed, especially in bigger cities and more affluent dwellings. In its final part the article presents the recent developments in the privatisation policy conducted by the conservative government in Norway. It deliberates postulates relating to modification of administrative procedures leading to the establishment of private schools, widening the school choice for parents as well as diversification of the teachers' professional status. It also sketches examples of the utilisation of private-public partnerships in construction and operationof public schools