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Statistics on
Pupils in primary and lower secondary school
The purpose of the statistics is to provide useful information about the state of primary and lower secondary school. The statistics are meant to cover the need of information of both educational authorities and other interested parties.
Selected figures from the statistics
- Primary and lower secondary schools and pupils by ownership. Absolute figures and change in per centDownload table as ...Primary and lower secondary schools and pupils by ownership. Absolute figures and change in per cent
2024 Per cent change 2014 - 2024 2023 - 2024 Primary and lower secondary schools, total 2 692 -6.7 -0.7 Private schools 277 33.2 -0.4 Public schools 2 415 -10.1 -0.5 Pupils, total 631 369 2.0 -0.9 Pupils in private schools 31 660 54.9 2.2 Pupils in public schools 599 709 0.2 -1.0 Explanation of symbolsDownload table as ... - Primary and lower secondary schools. Pupils in primary and lower secondary schoolDownload table as ...Primary and lower secondary schools. Pupils in primary and lower secondary school
School year Schools, total Type of school Pupils Primary schools Combined schools Lower secondary schools Pupils, total Primary level Lower secondary level 2014 2 886 1 656 738 492 618 996 430 864 188 132 2015 2 867 1 636 738 493 623 755 438 387 185 368 2016 2 858 1 615 746 497 629 275 444 638 184 637 2017 2 848 1 601 746 501 633 029 447 355 185 674 2018 2 830 1 585 741 504 636 350 448 655 187 695 2019 2 799 1 548 749 502 636 250 446 218 190 032 2020 2 776 1 539 744 493 635 497 443 967 191 530 2021 2 761 1 527 741 493 634 674 439 644 195 030 2022 2 740 1 506 741 493 636 934 437 855 199 079 2023 2 711 1 477 743 491 637 051 434 422 202 629 2024 2 692 1 461 738 493 631 369 429 723 201 646 Explanation of symbolsDownload table as ... - Pupils who receive special education. Total number and proportion.Download table as ...Pupils who receive special education. Total number and proportion.
School year Total number of pupils Pupils who receive special education Proportion of pupils who recieve special education 2019 636 250 48 939 7.7 2020 635 497 48 684 7.7 2021 634 674 49 246 7.8 2022 636 934 49 814 7.8 2023 637 051 51 285 8.1 2024 631 369 50 547 8.0 Explanation of symbolsDownload table as ... - Primary and lower secondary pupils and primary and lower secondary schools, by ownershipDownload table as ...Primary and lower secondary pupils and primary and lower secondary schools, by ownership
Schools, total Private schools Pupils, total Pupils in private schools 2014 2 886 208 618 996 20 436 2015 2 867 224 623 755 21 558 2016 2 858 229 629 275 20 562 2017 2 848 235 633 029 21 703 2018 2 830 252 636 350 25 370 2019 2 799 261 636 250 27 027 2020 2 776 267 635 497 28 100 2021 2 761 270 634 674 29 037 2022 2 740 278 636 934 30 045 2023 2 711 278 637 051 30 986 2024 2 692 277 631 369 31 660 Explanation of symbolsDownload table as ... - Schools and pupils by school size. Per centDownload table as ...Schools and pupils by school size. Per cent
Primary and secondary schools Pupils 0-99 pupils 100-299 pupils 300 pupils or more 0-99 pupils 100-299 pupils 300 pupils or more 2017 29.5 39.8 30.7 6.6 34.8 58.6 2018 28.7 40.1 31.2 6.2 34.6 59.2 2019 28.3 39.7 32.0 6.1 33.8 60.2 2020 28.0 39.9 32.2 6.1 33.8 60.1 2021 27.8 40.1 32.1 6.1 34.1 59.9 2022 27.7 39.5 32.8 6.1 33.3 60.6 2023 26.8 40.3 32.9 5.8 33.7 60.5 2024 26.8 40.3 32.9 5.9 33.8 60.3 Explanation of symbolsDownload table as ... - Pupils with native language training, bilingual education, adapted education and additional training in Norwegian, by county. 1 OctoberDownload table as ...Pupils with native language training, bilingual education, adapted education and additional training in Norwegian, by county. 1 October
2024 2024 2024 2024 2024 2024 Pupils, total Pupils with native language training only Pupils with native language training and bilingual education Pupils with bilingual education only Adapted education Pupils with additional training in Norwegian Total 631 369 2 253 1 019 8 724 1 305 49 055 Østfold 35 193 : 23 1 160 7 2 618 Akershus 92 211 14 73 720 22 4 503 Oslo 69 196 9 20 : 7 14 368 Innlandet 39 017 22 65 511 195 2 838 Buskerud 30 000 : 10 134 15 1 554 Vestfold 28 913 : 7 621 16 1 245 Telemark 19 478 13 9 612 3 1 190 Agder 38 967 : : 585 27 2 189 Rogaland 64 800 38 391 1 517 128 4 222 Vestland 76 118 1 486 114 977 232 5 243 Møre og Romsdal 31 374 : 14 386 129 2 292 Trøndelag - Trööndelage 54 439 572 185 804 303 3 573 Nordland - Nordlánnda 26 064 21 17 465 140 1 730 Troms - Romsa - Tromssa 17 597 74 61 205 14 944 Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku 7 784 : 30 25 67 542 Svalbard 219 0 0 0 0 4 Explanation of symbolsDownload table as ... - Pupils with native language training and additional training in NorwegianDownload table as ...Pupils with native language training and additional training in Norwegian
School year Pupils, total Pupils with mother language training and/or bilingual education Pupils with additional training in Norwegian 2020 635 497 10 624 39 808 2021 634 674 10 374 39 725 2022 636 934 11 372 43 949 2023 637 051 13 200 48 046 2024 631 369 13 301 49 055 Explanation of symbolsDownload table as ... - Pupils, by official form of Norwegian and county. 1 OctoberDownload table as ...Pupils, by official form of Norwegian and county. 1 October
2024 2024 2024 2024 Pupils Official form of Norwegian "bokmål" Official form of Norwegian "nynorsk" Official form of Norwegian "samisk" Total 631 369 552 535 70 889 913 Østfold 35 193 34 424 1 0 Akershus 92 211 90 987 3 1 Oslo 69 196 67 962 2 3 Innlandet 39 017 36 066 2 756 3 Buskerud 30 000 29 374 422 0 Vestfold 28 913 28 531 0 0 Telemark 19 478 17 520 1 756 1 Agder 38 967 37 229 1 328 0 Rogaland 64 800 49 932 13 614 0 Vestland 76 118 39 760 36 171 0 Møre og Romsdal 31 374 16 418 14 831 0 Trøndelag - Trööndelage 54 438 53 764 4 27 Nordland - Nordlánnda 26 064 26 033 0 30 Troms - Romsa - Tromssa 17 597 17 314 0 101 Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku 7 784 7 003 0 747 Svalbard 219 218 1 0 Explanation of symbolsDownload table as ...
About the statistics
The information under «About the statistics» was last updated 13 December 2023.
Education Act. The Education Act regulates both primary, lower secondary and upper secondary education, including education of adults on corresponding educational levels. The Education Act is in force from the school year of 1999/00.
Primary and lower secondary education. Primary and lower secondary education is obligatory to attend for all. It is also a given right to attend public primary and lower secondary school. The municipality is responsible for the fulfilment of this right for children and youths under the age of 16, according to the Education Act section 13-1. Children are usually enrolled in primary schools the calendar year they complete 6 years of age. Lower secondary school is usually finished after the 10th grade. Primary and lower secondary education includes education of persons above primary and lower secondary school age, that receives education on corresponding levels.
School year. The time allocated to teaching shall not be less than 38 weeks within a framework of 45 consecutive weeks during the school year. The school year normally starts on August 1st each year.
Pupils in primary and lower secondary school. Children and young people that, in accordance with the Education Act section 2-1 have the right and obligation to undertake primary and lower secondary education. This usually applies to children and young people from 6 to 15 years of age. It also includes persons older than 15 who get education on primary or lower secondary school level.
Grade. The grades in primary and lower secondary schools span from 1st to 10th grade. All pupils are transferred to the next grade each year.
Primary/lower secondary. Primary school consists of 1st to 7th grade. Lower secondary school consists of 8th to 10th grade.
Primary and lower secondary schools. Primary and lower secondary schools are municipal, county municipal or state schools for primary and lower secondary education, according to the Education Act section 13-1, or private (chartered) primary and lower secondary schools approved under the Education Act.
Official form of Norwegian. The official form of Norwegian (bokmål, nynorsk or samisk) used by the school.
Minority language pupils. Refers to persons with a different mother tongue than Norwegian or Sami. Mother tongue refers to the language that is used in a person's home.
Mother language training. Mother language training is training in the mother tongue of minority language pupils.
Additional training in Norwegian (for minority language pupils). Additional training in Norwegian for minority language pupils is either an additional training in Norwegian for minority language pupils, or training in Norwegian for minority language pupils as a separate subject, or a combination of the above.
Special Eduacation. Refers to the Education Act § 5-1, which states that pupils who are not able to gain from ordinary education are entitled to special education.
The Norwegian Standard Classification of Education, which was created by Statistics Norway in 1970, groups the educational activity. The standard has been revised; the latest version is from 2000. The type of educational institution is classified by the International Standard Industrial Classification of all Economic Activities (NOS C 182).
Name: Pupils in primary and lower secondary school
Topic: Education
Division for Education and Culture Statistics
The Statistics are published at municipal, county and national level.
Annually, final numbers in December.
The data is delivered to OECD, UNESCO and Eurostat.
Collected and revised data are stored securely by Statistics Norway in compliance with applicable legislation on data processing.
Statistics Norway can grant access to the source data (de-identified or anonymised microdata) on which the statistics are based, for researchers and public authorities for the purposes of preparing statistical results and analyses. Access can be granted upon application and subject to conditions. Refer to the details about this at Access to data from Statistics Norway.
The Purpose of Grunnskolens informasjonssystem (GSI) is to collect all necessary information for planning and official statistics related to primary and lower secondary education in Norway. All information about education of children and adults on a primary and lower secondary level, in accordance with the Education Act, is to be included in GSI.
From 1992 onwards, GSI is the source for the official statistics.
Prior to 2011 there were two releases of statistics; preliminary and final figures. From 2011 and onwards there is only one release; final figures.
In addition to statistical purposes, the data collected through GSI serves as an important information source for the Ministry of Education and Research, the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training (UDIR), the County Governors and the local governments.
No external users have access to statistics before they are released at 8 a.m. on ssb.no after at least three months’ advance notice in the release calendar. This is one of the most important principles in Statistics Norway for ensuring the equal treatment of users.
Data from GSI is also used in KOSTRA (local governments-state reporting).
The statistics are developed, produced and disseminated pursuant to Act no. 32 of 21 June 2019 relating to official statistics and Statistics Norway (the Statistics Act).
Regulation (EC) No 0452/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2008 concerning the production and development of statistics on education and learning. Commission Regulation (EU) No 88/2011 of 2 February 2011 implementing Regulation (EC) No 0452/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the production and development of statistics on education and lifelong learning, as regards statistics on education and training systems.
The population includes all primary and lower secondary schools, both private and public. Norwegian schools abroad are not included. Schools without pupils are not included.
The fullscale annual collection of data is obtained from Grunnskolens informasjonssystem, GSI.
Editing is defined here as checking, examining and amending data.
The statistics are based on annual reports by the schools and municipal authorities to central authorities. Every autumn the schools report the situation on October 1 and their plans for the current school year. The municipal authorities are responsible for the schools under their domain, the County Governors are responsible for privately run schools and the municipalities in their jurisdiction.
Municipal authorities and the education department in each corresponding County Governors office edit the data. There are also controls undertaken by Statistics Norway, and The Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training (Udir).
Interviewers and everyone who works at Statistics Norway have a duty of confidentiality. Statistics Norway has its own data protection officer.
Statistics Norway does not publish figures where there is a risk of identifying individual data about persons or households [enter the correct unit here, where applicable].
The ‘[suppression, rounding up/down, perturbation]1’ method is used in these statistics to ensure this.
More information can be found on Statistics Norway’s website under Methods in official statistics, in the ‘Confidentiality’ section.
The lowest level for publishing is the municipal level. For special teaching and minority language teaching, cells with less than 3 are not published.
GSI is the source of the primary and lower secondary school statistics from 1992 and later. Tables based on earlier statistics are comparable to tables based on GSI. The time series might be interrupted by changes succeeding amendments to the Education Act. There is no collection of data regarding classes after 2003, as teaching from then on was organized in groups rather than classes. From 2011/2012 special schools and ordinary schools are merged. In order to have comparable figures, special schools and ordinary schools have been merged also for previous years. For this reason, statistics published before 2012, will diverge from the statistics published in 2012.
Errors in data collected from administrative registers can be caused by uncertainties in the definition of variables and values between those responsible for the registers and others responsible for data collection from the registers.
Other sources of error can be the quality of the personal and school data in the registers or the registration process of data input into the registers. Such errors can affect the quality of the data if the control and revision processes in Statistics Norway are not comprehensive enough.
A revision is a planned change to figures that have already been published, for example when releasing final figures as a follow-up to published preliminary figures. See also Statistics Norway’s principles for revisions.
Revisions in previously published seasonally adjusted figures can take place when new observations (or revised previous observations) are included in the basis of calculation. The scope of the revision is usually greatest in the most relevant part (last 1–2 years) of seasonally adjusted time series. A corresponding revision in trends is also typical, particularly at the end of the time series. The extent of the revision of trends and seasonally adjusted figures is partly determined by the revision policy, see Section 4 of the European Statistical System (ESS) Guidelines on Seasonal Adjustment on the Eurostat website. For more information on the revision of seasonally adjusted figures, see the ‘About seasonal adjustment’ section in the relevant statistics.
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Analyses, articles and publications
Artikkel / 17 March 2014KOSTRA - Key figures on municipal activitiesThe key figures in KOSTRA provide information on most of the municipal and county municipal activities, including finance, schools, health, culture, the environment, social services, public housing, technical services and transport and communication.