Sweden phasing out distance education due to the pandemic
June 16, 2022
Original Article: https://www.regeringen.se/pressmeddelanden/2022/03/mojligheten-att-bedriva-fjarr--eller-distansundervisning-pa-grund-av-pandemin-tas-bort/
The original article requires translation.
Due to the pandemic, the government decided in March 2020 on a temporary ordinance which means that it is possible to adapt school activities in various ways that are not normally possible under the Education Act. The purpose was to give principals better conditions to give students the education they are entitled to despite the pandemic. The regulation has been amended several times to adapt to current conditions.
- The vast majority feel best when they are allowed to be in school. The Government's line has therefore always been that teaching should be conducted on site as far as possible. Now the situation is stable enough to begin a phase-out of the current exemption provisions in the school area, says Minister of Education Lina Axelsson Kihlblom.
On 1 April, the principals' opportunity to conduct distance or distance education on the basis of the ordinance will be removed, and any absences among students and staff will from this date be treated in the same way as absences for other illnesses. The Swedish National Agency for Education's opportunity to cancel national tests and the principal's opportunity to set grades instead of the teacher according to the ordinance will also be removed.
However, provisions that enable schools to deal with the consequences of the pandemic will remain. Principals will need to follow up on the consequences of high absenteeism among children, students, teachers and other staff, and students may, for example, have to make up for missed teaching. The opportunity to, for example, extend school days, extend the semester and place education on weekends or holidays will therefore remain until 31 July 2022.