The government is presenting a proposal to extend the principle of openness to preschools and schools, Minister of Education and Integration Simona Mohamsson (L) said at a press conference about the proposal, which is now being sent to the Legislative Council for review.
She said it will give taxpayers the same transparency as municipal schools. She also said that the Tidö parties, which include the Sweden Democrats, are behind the proposal.
Equal conditions
There will be full transparency in independent schools, Mohamsson said.
Today independent schools are not covered by the principle of openness and therefore do not have the same obligations as municipal schools to disclose information about their operations.
According to the proposal, smaller principals - that is, the company or foundation that runs one or more schools - could receive some relief, for example in how quickly documents or information must be disclosed.
They will be given a little more time to provide information, Mohamsson said.
Relief for small principals
The somewhat milder rules would apply to principals with fewer than 450 students and to preschools with fewer than 100 children. It is the number of children or students per principal/group that determines the threshold, not the number of individual schools.
The majority of Sweden's students will attend schools that are not covered by the relief, Mohamsson said.
The Tidö Agreement between the governing parties and the Sweden Democrats promised "increased transparency", but added that the principle of openness is poorly suited to smaller independent schools.
The rules are proposed to come into effect in 2027.
