Three weeks prior to the new academic year, many students are struggling to find house in the major cities of Norway, writes TV2.no. According to the news website, 4,000 students lined up for housing in the capital, 2000 in Bergen, 2000 in Trondheim, 1000 in Tromso, 1000 in Stavanger, 1500 in Kristiansand and Grimstad and at least 200 in Ås.
Many students fear that they can not accept the study offer of the universities because they do not have a place to stay.
– It is not government’s responsibility to provide students a place to stay, says the Ministry of Education secretary Ragnhild Setsaas (SV) to TV 2
Setsaas stressed that the government has kept the promise to build 1,000 housing units each year in Soria Moria Declaration II.
– The government has nothing to be ashamed of, because it has never been built more housing units than we do now, said the Secretary of State.
She also pointed out that Norway is in a unique position because it is still free to go to universities and colleges in addition to getting loan which can be used in both Norway and worldwide.
Leader of the Norwegian student organization (NSO), Øyvind Berdal, on the other hand, does not agree with the Secretary of State.
– It is the duty of government to pursue a higher education to an even greater extent than they do. Therefore, it is also an obligation for them to build even more housing units, since the situation is so difficult for students, he said to TV2.
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