Unikum 04 April Web

OPINION
Tuition fees: the fairy tale
Juliana Koury Gaioso
Writer
Illustrasjon: AdobeStock // Non248 // Stockgiu
Once upon a time, there used to be a model of human
development full of solidarity and equality in the
cold kingdom of Norway. Most likely, if you are from
outside Norway, you have heard the narrative in the
news or the World Bank’s economic ranks. If you
are Norwegian, you are probably very proud of the
national identity construct. And if you are an activist
in your country, you have used the Nordic model to
defend public policies against conservative exclusions.
This fairy tale has been driven for an outcome without
«happily ever after».
In view of the facts, last year, the Norwegian parliament
approved charging tuition fees in public education,
going against the stream of universal access to
education, which means giving equal opportunities to
study in public institutions, regardless of who you are.
As it states, «universal» is supposed to be for everyone
on this planet and beyond. It gets worse. The tuition fees
will only be charged for international students outside
the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland.
African, Latin American and Asian students must pay
at least 130 thousand Norwegian kroner (khrono.no).
But the majority of rich European countries will not.
The Minister of Education and Research of Norway,
Ola Borten Moe affirmed that «it is a fixed principle
and that it is not appropriate to shake it» (regjeringen.
no). So, his logic is basically: we charge the poorest and
let the privileged ones have it for free.
The Norwegian government is not a pioneer in
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