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full screen According to Statistics Sweden’s population projection, the number of school children will decrease until the year 2070. Stock image. Photo: Pontus Lundahl/TT
Fewer children are being born in Sweden and the number of school children is expected to steadily decrease until at least 2070, according to Statistics Sweden.
The fact that there will be fewer children in Swedish schools is mainly due to the fact that the trend of reduced childbearing is expected to continue in the coming years. This appears in Statistics Sweden’s (SCB) latest population forecast for this year and up to and including 2070.
According to Lena Lundqvist, demographer at Statistics Norway, the economic situation is an important factor.
– We see a recession in the next few years and we believe that the birth rate will continue to decrease.
In the next 15 years, the number of school children is expected to decrease and then increase. But the school children are not expected to be as numerous as today.
More women will be childless at the age of 45 and those who choose to have their first child will be older than today, according to Statistics Sweden.
– This means that you don’t have time to have a second or third child because you have the first child later, she says.
Statistics Sweden’s forecast is based on statistics on Swedish childbirth, mortality, emigration and immigration. It is also seen that reduced immigration affects the number of school children. It is in turn based on several political decisions that have been taken in recent years and which reduce immigration.