Drammen faces potential school closures amid financial pressures

Concerns have been mounting in several neighborhoods of Drammen regarding potential school closures. As communities ponder which schools may face shutdowns, parents, teachers, and students have taken to social media to voice their opposition.

Thomas Larsen Sola, the municipal chief responsible for kindergartens and schools in Drammen, will present a list outlining which schools might be closed. This document is not a proposal for the policymakers; instead, it serves as an overview indicating possible savings from each closure and the implications they would have. If the local government decides to approve all cuts proposed, it stands to save 55 million Norwegian kroner.

The schools currently at risk of closure include:

– Steinberg – Rødskog – Vestbygda – Danvik – Skoger – Tangen

The financial pressure on Drammen’s municipal economy is significant, marked by lower income levels compared to most municipalities. Previously, the municipal director proposed 46 different measures to the city council with a goal of reducing costs by at least 170 million kroner.

In addition to the six schools listed for potential closure, Krokstad School and Killingrud Secondary School also risk losing modular buildings. National statistics forecast a decline in the student population, with predictions of approximately 1,200 fewer children in the primary schools of Drammen by 2036. A decrease in enrollment directly impacts state funding, which is about 100,000 kroner per student. Consequently, fewer students mean reduced funding to operate the schools.

The Education and Training Committee will address this complex matter on October 16, with a city council discussion scheduled for week 44. A final decision will not be made until February 2025.