The new state subsidy aims to increase the number of special teachers in the school, and means, among other things, that the state will step in and pay half of the school’s salary costs for special teachers.
– The teachers will get more support from other teachers who have special training to help and support children with different types of diagnoses. But also that you can set up more small teaching groups, says Education Minister Lotta Edholm (L).
She hopes that the investment will also lead to more people continuing their education to become special education teachers, as the grant can also cover this for working staff.
At the same time, there is a general shortage of teachers. According to the Swedish National Agency for Education, in 2035 there will be a shortage of around 12,000 qualified teachers and pre-school teachers, mainly with a focus on middle and upper secondary school. However, it is not expected that there will be any shortage of special teachers.
Isn’t it better to invest in the groups where there will be a shortage?
– I think that this picture of reality is not shared by very many people. We have had some kind of overriding ideology in Sweden that all children should receive the same support and this has led to Swedish schools being an elimination machine. We must get better support for the students who really need it, says Edholm.
Requests long-term investments
Primary school teacher David Gustafsson, who is unionized in Sweden’s Teachers, welcomes the government’s investment in the school. At the same time, he points to a risk of cuts as a result of the government not covering increased costs in the wake of inflation.
– At many schools, they have started to warn that the budget does not add up. There are increased premises costs, the price of food rises. What you do then is to cut back and remove “peripheral staff”, he says.
He calls for more long-termism in school policy.
– If it is the case that this money is only available during a certain mandate period, it will be somewhat in vain. You just have time to train staff, but then the schools cannot keep them and finance their salaries.
Lotta Edholm can understand the criticism of investments that come and go:
– And that’s why you have to be careful with this type of investment.