Shortly before the School Inspectorate was to visit the Vocational High School in Gothenburg, the school’s staff were called to a meeting. A senior manager within the Thorengruppen had come to the school to review what the School Inspectorate was expected to investigate. At the meeting, the teachers also had to practice answering questions that the management suspected would come up during the inspection.
SVT has been in contact with several of the teachers who attended the meeting. One of them is the history teacher Robin Johansson, who today works at another school.
Wrapped directives
– It was like “If I’m the School Inspectorate and I ask this question, what should you answer then?” But it was to get the “right” answer, he says.
Did the school want you to lie?
– They were wise enough not to express it that way.
According to information to SVT, the group also has a manual that contains information on how the staff should act when they are inspected by the School Inspectorate.
SVT’s review shows that the School Inspectorate has found serious deficiencies in many of the group’s schools. If the deficiencies are actually worse than what the School Inspectorate has been able to detect, the Thorengruppen does not want to answer in a taped interview, but they send a written answer (see fact box). In SVT’s Morgonstudion, CEO Ola Rönnqvist states that they are now working to resolve the shortcomings that have emerged.
The School Inspectorate: “Worrying”
The School Inspectorate already has information about teachers being instructed, but has not been able to do anything about it, according to regional manager Agneta Broberg.
– It is distressing and very serious.
But how can they then be allowed to run the school?
– We have a set of regulations that set the requirements. We have had difficulty proving this type of information, says Agneta Broberg.
Robin Johansson believes that the School Inspectorate needs to change its way of working and wants, among other things, more unannounced visits.
– There are so many ways to hide the shortcomings that exist.
Do you know more? Tip SVT’s investigative reporters