Teachers’ Responses to Educational Policies for Newly Arrived Students with Limited School Background in Norway

This chapter examines educational policies and practices related to a separate educational programme in Norway that provides extended basic education to newly arrived migrant students (NAMS) with limited school background. The programme aims to prepare and qualify students for entry into mainstream upper-secondary education or vocational training. The chapter investigates how teachers perceive and experience NAMS with limited school background, the obstacles and opportunities arising from various aspects of the programme’s policies and practices, and contextual constraints and opportunities that affect the programme’s operation and the fulfilment of the educational rights of NAMS. The study employs a qualitative design and is based on semi-structural interviews with five teachers in two schools. The findings point out systemic challenges for education of NAMS such as the programme’s intensity, the absence of concrete measures and a clear roadmap for supporting the academic needs of NAMS, lack of social inclusion and inconsistent expectations between the separate educational programme and upper-secondary education. The chapter highlights the need for a holistic and comprehensive approach to education for NAMS that considers not only individual students but also the structural aspects of the educational system. It emphasises the need for clear guidelines, a flexible curriculum, additional resources, and collaboration with relevant stakeholders to improve the educational outcomes and future prospects of NAMS.