WIDENING ACCESS TO VALIDATION AND GUIDANCE

The proposed amendment in legislation circulated for public consultation in autumn 2019 has been approved, changing the regulations to the Education Act governing validation of prior learning. The new rules take effect from 1 January 2020, allowing candidates to go through the validation process at upper secondary level in other languages than the national languages (Norwegian and Sami).

A new Integration Act was proposed in August 2019 and circulated for public consultation during the autumn. It is still being processed as the VISKA project closes (February 2020). Among other measures, it introduces a right and obligation for newly arrived refugees to go through a process of career guidance, including mapping of their competences. The intention is to discover and discuss refugees’ competences at an early stage, so as to adapt further provision to individual backgrounds and needs. The regions will be obliged to provide this guidance process.

The Norwegian VISKA trials have contributed to informing these changes; highlighting the importance of early intervention and access.