Folk high schools in Norway
The adult education center in Norway ( Norwegian Folkehøyskole or Folkehøgskole ) is a special type of school without exams, intended as an orientation year after the end of compulsory schooling. Originally established in Denmark by the Danish pedagogue Nikolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig , the first Norwegian school of its kind (Sagatun Folkehøyskole) was built in Eastern Norway in 1864. It was closed again in 1891. However, this type of school only became established with the commitment of Christopher Bruun and Christian Horne , who launched the adult education center movement in the 1870s. She was one of the fruits of national romanticism, which put the ideals of freedom on top and whose ideal was responsible and enlightened citizens.
The Folkehøgskole today is a 9-month optional educational offer, which is mainly taken up by young adults between 19 and 22 years after their regular school career. Between 35 and 120 students per school live together in the boarding school , which is an important part of the Folkehøgskole philosophy and at the same time an educational tool. The lessons are divided into major and minor subjects, which cover a wide range of subject areas. The majority of the subjects are practical and strongly oriented towards the interests of the students. Various extra-curricular activities and trips complete the offer. It is important that there are no exams and no graduation is achieved. The schools aim to promote and strengthen personality, especially in a social, but also in a professional sense. The aim is to give the students the opportunity to try out a wide variety of situations and activities, to gain intensive experiences and to broaden their horizons. In addition, the year should be used as a break from school and performance pressure and as a time to think about the future. About half of the total cost of such a “long course” is covered by subsidies from the state treasury, the remaining part is paid by the students. They too are entitled to state support for this. The schools are either sponsored by the church or “frilynter”, i.e. non-denominational sponsorship.
The Norwegian students can get a student loan from the state loan office. The Folkehøgskolen also take in students from abroad. Students from other European countries usually have to bear the costs themselves. However, some schools also offer scholarships for foreign students. In addition, until 2010 there was a scholarship for foreigners through the "Memorial Fund of May 8th 1970".
Similar offers in Germany: In Germany there are the so-called “basic” or “winter courses” or “long courses” at folk high schools (or corresponding adult educational institutions), which are comparable to the concept of the Norwegian Folkehøgskole.