Government Proposes Tighter Regulations on Independent Schools Amid Political Debate

The Swedish government has received the final report from the profit investigation into independent (friskolor) schools, proposing tighter regulations aimed at curb profit extraction and ensuring these schools prioritize education over financial gains. Simona Mohamsson (L), who received the report, highlighted critical issues such as the employment of unqualified teachers, inflated grades, and the misuse of school funds by corporations for non-educational activities. The investigation suggests measures including limiting the expansion rights of poorly performing schools, tightening permit assessments, and improving financial transparency to better track taxpayer money.

However, the proposals have sparked significant political debate. Socialdemokraterna’s education spokesperson, Anders Ygeman, sharply criticized the government's measures for being insufficient. He argued that they would not effectively stop profit leakage from classrooms or prevent corporations from exploiting the school system. Ygeman called instead for a complete profit ban on independent schools and a halt on granting new establishment permits, which he believes would enable the employment of thousands more qualified teachers and improve school results dramatically.

Centerpartiet expressed skepticism about the prospects of immediate legislative changes, viewing the concerns over independent schools as potentially deferred to a future mandate period. Meanwhile, Almega Utbildning, representing the independent schools, welcomed some earlier proposals for stricter operator requirements but warned that the new regulations could inadvertently create excessive bureaucracy. Andreas Mörck of Almega contended that increased licensing oversight from the School Inspectorate on already approved schools could impede well-functioning schools' ability to expand and operate effectively.

Simona Mohamsson emphasized that the government intends to introduce a comprehensive reform of the independent school system before the next election, with budget allocations made for the initiative. The debate underscores the complex balance between controlling profit motives in education and maintaining operational flexibility for schools.

The proposal marks a significant step in Sweden’s ongoing effort to regulate independent schools more strictly, with varying political opinions on the best path forward and concerns about the reform’s practical implementation.