What happened
The trade union Sveriges Lärare directs harsh criticism following a rejection of introducing smaller child groups. The decision has sparked strong reactions within the school world. Anna Olskog, president of Sveriges Lärare, reacts strongly to the announcement. She calls the move actually remarkable.
Our analysis
Politicians from right to left constantly repeat the same demand: new Swedes' children must learn perfect Swedish already in preschool. But when it actually comes to giving educators reasonable conditions, those in power say no. Demanding rapid language learning while keeping child groups overcrowded is pure hypocrisy.
It is in preschool that the foundation for schooling is laid. When groups remain large, time for reading aloud, conversation, and individual attention disappears. Those who pay the price first are children in areas where the need for linguistic support is greatest.
The decision also strikes directly at the employees who sustain the Swedish preschool, where many are new Swedes with heavy lifting and packed schedules. You cannot make cutbacks on the foundation of welfare and then pretend to be surprised when inequality grows.
Explained
Child groups refers to the number of children per section and staff member in preschool. Skolverket has guidelines for how large the groups should be, but these are not legally binding for the municipalities.