Government investing in more reading time and less screen time

“The best conditions for developing basic reading and writing skills are in analogue environments and using analogue tools. That’s why it is important that pupils get to work with pen and paper and, not least, have access to textbooks and staffed school libraries,” says Minister for Schools Lotta Edholm.

Moreover, strong reading skills enable pupils to navigate the world and acquire necessary knowledge and information, and also to experience the joy of reading – an opportunity to discover new worlds and understand both others and themselves. 

Scientific studies show that screen-free environments provide better conditions for children to develop relationships, concentrate and learn to read and write. It is therefore important for digital learning aids to only be introduced in teaching at an age when they encourage, rather than hinder, pupils’ learning. The use of such aids must therefore be carefully considered.

Some of the Government’s ongoing and completed initiatives are summarised below.

More books in schools

Pupils in Sweden need more textbooks. Physical books are important for their learning and teachers’ work, yet many schools do not have enough suitable textbooks. In 2023, the Government introduced a new government grant targeting preschool classes, compulsory school and equivalent school forms. This government grant can be used to purchase textbooks and teachers’ guides. The Government is now proposing to enhance this investment with the aim of working towards the principle of one textbook per pupil per subject. A total of SEK 685 million in 2023 and SEK 658 million in 2024 has been allocated. For 2025, the Government is proposing an additional SEK 200 million, which means the government grant comprises SEK 755 million and then SEK 555 million annually.

Previously, pupils’ access to textbooks was not guaranteed. With the Riksdag’s decision on the Government Bill Stärkt tillgång till läromedel (‘Improved access to teaching aids’), clarifications to the Education Act entered into force on 1 July 2024, and include ensuring that pupils have access to textbooks and other teaching and learning tools. 

The Government has tasked the Swedish Schools Inspectorate with reviewing pupils’ access to textbooks and other course material.

Access to both good fiction and non-fiction is needed to ignite a passion for reading. The Government has launched measures to enhance preschools’ and schools’ possibilities to purchase more literature. 

Pupils should have access to staffed school libraries

School librarians and well-equipped school libraries play an important role in promoting both an interest in reading and reading skills. Nonetheless, access to staffed school libraries varies greatly, which is why the Government submitted the bill Stärkta skolbibiliotek (‘Strengthened school libraries’) to the Riksdag in July 2024. The bill also proposes clarifications to the Education Act to ensure that pupils have access to staffed school libraries. The Government has proposed setting aside SEK 216 million in 2025 for strengthening school libraries and then SEK 433 million annually. 

It is important that official library statistics provide an overview of access to staffed libraries throughout the country. For this reason, SEK 1.2 million has been allocated to the National Library of Sweden to develop these statistics, and a similar amount is proposed for 2025. 

Assignment for learning aids to provide more reading time and less screen time

Teachers’ ability to choose and use learning aids is crucial to the quality of instruction and to learning. Compiled scientific empirical data and proven experience show that basic skills such as relational skills, attention and concentration, and the ability to read, write and do arithmetic are best acquired through analogue activities in analogue environments. Focus should be on physical books at younger ages and on digital learning aids only being used as children grow older and when they are shown to have positive effects, under the condition that this is done selectively and based on clear scientific support and documented educational added value. 

The National Agency for Education has therefore been tasked by the Government to draft general guidelines/recommendations and support material on the selection and use of learning aids in instruction. The Government proposes continued efforts regarding students’ use of learning tools, including to minimise the use of digital devices that can negatively affect students’ knowledge development. 

National Agency for Education will investigate the use of screens in schools

Many pupils experience being distracted by other pupils using digital devices such as mobile phones during lessons. At the same time, cyberbullying has become increasingly common over the past decade. The National Agency for Education has therefore been tasked with investigating how digital devices are used in schools and out-of-school centres, and will propose measures to help reduce the use of digital devices that pupils themselves bring to school or out-of-school centres and that negatively affect pupils, their knowledge development or education, including potential measures to help reduce gender differences in school results. 

Government wants to remove digital learning aid requirement in preschools

The preschool curriculum currently stipulates that teachers have a responsibility to make sure that every child has access to digital tools. On behalf of the Government, the National Agency for Education has carried out a review of digitalisation in the preschool curriculum. Part of the review included proposing amendments that mean removing the current requirement for digital learning aids in preschools. Any potential use of digital learning aids in preschools should take place selectively, based on clear scientific support and documented educational added value. The review was submitted in June 2024 and is currently being processed at the Government Offices. 

National tests in year 3 will not be digitised

The National Agency for Education is tasked with developing digital national tests in compulsory schools and at upper secondary level. In January 2024, the Government amended the Agency’s remit for national tests and assessment support in compulsory schools at primary school level to no longer be digitised. Scientific studies show that pupils in the lower years of compulsory school learn best by using pen, paper and physical books. For this reason, compulsory schools’ national tests at primary school level will also be analogue.

Government will not proceed with digital strategy

The Government will not proceed with the National Agency for Education’s proposal for the digital strategy. The strategy was circulated for consultation and received criticism from neuroscientists and paediatricians.

National Agency for Education must consider the risks of digitalisation

The National Agency for Education has sector responsibility in matters of digitalisation. The Government has amended the Agency’s instructions to ensure that the Agency also pays particular attention to the risks posed by digitalisation.

Clearer curriculum wording regarding reading and digital technology

The Government has appointed the Curriculum Inquiry to review the curricula. The investigator will submit proposals on how reading and reading comprehension can be enhanced in the curricula, and also how the texts on digitalisation may be better adapted, based on children’s cognitive development, learning and pupils’ crucial need to acquire a critical and responsible approach to digital technology. The Inquiry will present its proposals by 28 February 2025.

Teacher education to be developed

The Government has appointed an Inquiry to propose how to raise the admissions requirements for teacher- and preschool-teacher education programmes, and how to increase the programmes’ focus on subject knowledge, cognitive science and practical methods. Research has shown how important writing by hand is for learning to read and spell, which is why it is important that teaching students acquire this knowledge during their education and training. Studies also show that reading comprehension of longer factual texts is better when texts are in print rather than on screen. That is why it is important that teaching students receive education and training in how to use physical textbooks, other teaching aids and practical handwriting exercises in lessons. The Inquiry will present its proposals by 29 November 2024.

New qualitative targets for teaching aids in teacher education

High-quality education tools are crucial to school pupils’ learning. Therefore, students in teacher education need to be trained in the use and evaluation of textbooks and other teaching aids and learning tools. For this reason, the Government has introduced new qualitative targets for undergraduate, vocational and subject teacher education courses. The aim is to ensure that students are better equipped to select and use textbooks in their professional activities, along with other teaching aids and learning tools. 

Reading lists of Swedish and international fiction to be created

In order for all pupils to have the opportunity to read both Swedish and international fiction, the Government has proposed creating reading lists of such material. These lists can serve as support to teachers when they are choosing literature for their instruction. This assignment was presented in an interim report on 4 June 2024, when a draft reading list was submitted to the Government. Final reading lists will be presented by 4 December 2024. This initiative is supplemented by an interim report that relates to how the work with books can be implemented and how the books on the reading lists should be made available. 

Increased contributions to Swedish Institute for Children’s Books

The Government wants to increase knowledge and research on children’s and young people’s reading, and strengthened the activities of the Swedish Institute for Children’s Books with a SEK 6 million increase of their annual budget in 2024.