Regulatory failures in Norwegian schools

A series of inspections and audits in Norway have highlighted systemic regulatory failures within the school and after-school care sectors.

An investigation by the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority (Arbeidstilsynet) found that nearly 90 percent of inspected schools had deficiencies in protecting staff from violence and threats. Between 2023 and 2025, over 1,000 inspections revealed violations of the Working Environment Act in 73 percent of cases, citing a lack of risk assessments and insufficient training. Statistics Norway reported that 28 percent of primary school teachers experienced workplace violence in the preceding year.

Subsequent audits by the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training (Udir) and County Governors identified further compliance issues regarding child protection. These audits revealed that 83 percent of investigated municipalities and 52 percent of audited private schools failed to meet mandatory police certificate requirements for staff. These certificates are designed to prevent individuals convicted of serious offenses, such as sexual abuse or violence, from working with children.