MP demands 17 million to folk high schools: 'Anything else an insult'

Folk high schools have had to suspend several education programmes because of a reduction in their state grants. Furuboda, for example, has announced that they cannot accept new applicants to their course for assistant nurses, despite the fact that health care is crying out for staff.

Glimåkra Folkhögskola is suspending several courses, including one for nursery school nurses.

On Thursday the regional development board (RUN) will make a decision on extra funding for folk high schools and Komvux. They are expected each to get a million crowns to distribute.

– Glimåkra gets a special mention for being a good example in the courses it offers. So it is a paradox that it should be closed down because the school is short of three million.

In a situation like that, a million crowns to all the folk high schools is a drop in the ocean, it feels as if they're giving us a slap in the face, says Kami Petersen (MP), a member of RUN.

So now they have put forward a suggestion that a total of 17 million crowns should be given to the folk high schools as an extra support package.

– It can't cover all the costs in this situation. But both the state and the regions bear a responsibility for the folk high schools, so we ought to face up to our responsibility, says Kami Petersen, and adds that it is impossible to ignore inflation.