When will the primary school become ten years?
According to the government's proposal, the primary school will become ten years from the autumn term 2028. What happens then is that the preschool class ceases and becomes the new year 1. The lower stage becomes four years.
Must students attend school for an additional year when the primary school becomes ten years?
No. The preschool class became compulsory in 2018 and since then, six-year-olds have also had compulsory schooling.
How will it be for the older students?
All existing year groups are shifted upwards by one year. The seven-year-olds who would have started in year 1 in the old system thus go directly from preschool class to year 2 and so on. The students who would have started in year 9 in the previous system instead start in year 10.
What are the reasons for making the primary school ten years?
The government has pointed out that the knowledge results in school need to be improved. By incorporating six-year-olds into the lower stage, better conditions and more time are created to give students the basic knowledge in arithmetic, reading, and writing. By having six-year-olds in primary school, there is also better continuity - preschool is a separate school form today.
What are the concerns?
Do not forget that six-year-olds also need to play, both educators and politicians have pointed out. The Social Democrats, the Left Party, and the Green party submitted reservations against the government's proposal on that point, and wanted to see a clearer emphasis on the preschool class's pedagogy - with play, movement, and training in social skills - characterizing the first time in primary school.
Another concern concerns teacher competence and qualifications. The Center Party demanded in its reservation clear answers to what will happen to the preschool teachers who today teach in preschool class and want the preschool teachers to become qualified for the new lower stage.
How long has the nine-year primary school existed?
The Riksdag decided on a nine-year primary school in 1962, i.e. 63 years ago. Previously, students had attended - at least - a six-year elementary school. The primary school was introduced gradually during the 1960s and up to 1971.
Facts: Preschool class
TT
The school year 2024/25 had 118,000 students in preschool class. Almost 12 percent of the students in preschool class attended independent school, the rest in municipal school. The proportion of qualified teachers and preschool teachers in preschool class was 87 percent. Source: The National Agency for Education
