The Moderate Party's leader, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, says otherwise:
I don't think all seven-year-olds are best at reflecting on their learning environment themselves. I'm not at all against student influence, but sometimes parents and teachers need to be able to talk privately.
The new school proposals are being presented in conjunction with a Moderate school conference in the Riksdag. The aim is to break the "alarming" trend in schools, where, for example, the latest PISA measurement shows a significant decline.
The Next Term of Office
The Moderate Party also wants to reintroduce a central quality review of teaching materials, and for all elementary school teachers to learn evidence-based methods for teaching children to read. Furthermore, more knowledge screenings will be introduced to catch up with students who are falling behind.
The School Inspectorate is also proposed to be given a sharper task of reviewing the quality of schools.
The new proposals are aimed at the next term of office, according to Ulf Kristersson.
Few things are as long-term as school policy. There has been too much inconsistency in Swedish schools. Now we need to establish, for a very long time ahead, our view on knowledge, our view on order and discipline.
"Lack of Resources"
The Swedish Teachers' Union thus thinks that the Moderate Party's proposals show a misconception.
"As a teacher, it's sad to take part in the Moderate Party's five proposals on how to 'lift' Swedish schools and improve knowledge. The proposals presented are not in proportion to the problem," says Chairperson Anna Olskog in a written comment to TT.
"Teaching can always be improved, but not to the extent that it outweighs the total problems in schools. The school system is plagued by structural system errors. We have a very large proportion of students who do not receive the comprehensive support they need. And that's because there are not sufficient resources," Olskog continues.
