Sweden education debate focuses on student grit and literacy

Debates regarding the quality of Swedish education have emerged following reports on student perseverance and declining literacy. Linda Öholm of the International English School and Nima Sanandaji from KTH argue that Swedish students lack “grit,” suggesting this deficiency contributes to declining PISA rankings. They note that only 16 percent of Swedish students view hard work as a vital life attribute, compared to higher percentages in countries like Norway, the US, and Germany.

However, Stefan Johansson, an associate professor at the University of Gothenburg, has criticized these claims as “populism,” arguing that the comparison to other nations is flawed as those countries also face challenges in international assessments.

Separately, the Expert Council for Reading has proposed seven measures to combat falling reading levels and increasing disparities between students, particularly those with non-native Swedish as a mother tongue. The council advocates for integrating daily reading into the national curriculum and making reading a central component of all text-based subjects to ensure equitable educational outcomes.