New health education programme aims to address Faroe Islands’ care worker shortage

A new training programme from the Faroese School of Health will help ease the severe shortage of qualified care workers for the elderly, according to the Association of Faroese Municipalities (Kommunufelagið).

The programme, which will offer partial in-person instruction in the capital Tórshavn alongside distance learning, is seen as a key solution by Tórbjørn Jacobsen, chair of Kommunufelagið and former minister of culture.

Jacobsen told public broadcaster Kringvarp Føroya that the location of the school—previously decided to be in Suðuroy—should not be the deciding factor. Instead, he stressed the urgent need to train more care staff for elderly services.

However, not all prospective students support the current model. Arnleyg Tungá, who wishes to study at the School of Health, said travelling to Suðuroy is not feasible for her. She also criticised the new hybrid programme, as it still requires some in-person attendance in Tórshavn and does not offer a fully extended distance-learning option.

Tungá said she would prefer a solution that eliminates the need to travel to Suðuroy entirely and allows for a longer, more flexible study period.