Response to interpellation 2024/25:441 on resources and competence to support students with NPF
Translated from Swedish by AI; the translation may contain errors. The Swedish text is the original.
Summary AI, written in advance
The debate concerns resources and competence to support students with NPF in school. L argues that too many students do not receive the support they need and that the support is often implemented too late 1. L considers that the government has commissioned an inquiry to strengthen student health and simplify placement in smaller groups 1. L argues that the government has allocated just over 2.9 billion kronor to the school for 2025 and introduced a state grant for staff reinforcements 1. L also considers that an inquiry into a national school funding norm is important to increase equality in school 1.
Written by AI in advance and may contain errors. The numbers lead to the speech a statement builds on; check against the text below.
Statsrådet Lotta Edholm (L)
Madam Speaker! It is a bit unusual to simply read out an answer, but I will do my best.
Nadja Awad has asked whether I and the government intend to take any measures to both ensure that the schools receive the resources they need so that students with NPF can receive the support they are entitled to, and to ensure that the municipalities receive the resources they need so that the schools can provide students with NPF the support they are entitled to. Nadja Awad has also asked me what other measures I intend to take to ensure that students with NPF receive the support they need.
Too many students in Swedish schools do not receive the support they need, and the support is also often provided too late. Schools need to be given better conditions to meet the needs of every student. Therefore, the government has appointed the Inquiry on Improved Student Health (U 2024:01), which has been tasked with submitting proposals that strengthen student health and reviewing the regulations regarding support measures in schools. The inquiry shall, among other things, submit proposals that mean it will become easier to place students in smaller and flexible teaching groups or to provide students with individual instruction.
The Swedish preschool and school are still in a tough situation with increased costs. The government has therefore allocated just over 2.9 billion kronor to the school for 2025. The government has, among other things, introduced a collective state grant for staff reinforcements to strengthen the schools' conditions to increase safety and learning in school, relieve teachers, improve student health, and better meet the students' needs for support. Over the next two years, this means a comprehensive investment in, among other things, more special education teachers in school.
The state contributes to the school's funding, but it is important to remember that it is the municipalities that have the primary responsibility for financing preschool and school. Today, there are large differences between municipalities in terms of how much they invest in the school. Therefore, the government has appointed the Inquiry on a national school funding norm for increased equality (U 2023:05), which shall propose a system for resource distribution based on a nationally binding school funding norm. The aim is to increase equality in the Swedish school throughout the country through state steering of the funding.
The Government gave the Special Pedagogical School Authority the assignment in the 2024 regulatory letter to strengthen its work in providing advice and support to school principals regarding students with neuropsychiatric disabilities, NPF, and extensive absence. The purpose is to promote attendance in school and prevent extensive absence. The assignment shall be final reported by May 26, 2027, at the latest.
Few things are as important for Sweden's future as the school. All students who need support to reach the educational goals shall receive it.
When the interpellator reported that she was prevented from attending the meeting, the third deputy speaker declared the interpellation debate closed.
Source: The Swedish Parliament. The speeches come from the open data of the Riksdag, translated into English by AI, which may contain errors.