News | 13 May 2026
A Severe Blow to School Choice and High-Performing Schools
The government's latest proposal will not lead to improved quality in the Swedish school system. On the contrary, it risks undermining well-functioning independent schools, directly impacting families who have actively chosen a school that works for them.
The Swedish school system faces significant challenges; currently, one in six students leaves compulsory school without the qualifications needed for upper secondary education. Internationella Engelska Skolan (IES) believes that the primary task of policymakers is to ensure that every student receives a safe, high-quality education, regardless of the school’s operator.
Introducing restrictions on how a school organization may allocate resources between schools, combined with requirements for separate financial reporting, limits the ability of serious, long-term operators to direct resources to the schools and students who need them most.
"If policymakers are serious about securing every student's right to a good school, they have completely lost their way in a zeal for regulation. Today's proposal demonstrates a flagrant lack of understanding of how reputable independent schools are managed today," says Linda Öholm, Deputy CEO of Internationella Engelska Skolan.
Political proposals built on mistrust rather than quality assessment risk severely limiting the diversity and freedom of choice that Sweden’s independent schools provide—values that Internationella Engelska Skolan has championed for over 30 years.
"We will now carefully analyze the 330-page draft referral to the Council on Legislation and await their assessment. At the same time, I strongly urge the government to prioritize reforms that strengthen the mandate of principals and teachers—and thereby the academic development of Swedish students—rather than pursuing this crusade that risks affecting hundreds of thousands of students," says Linda Öholm.