SHARE
COPY LINK

EDUCATION

Principal stopped kids from getting marks that were ‘too low’

The principal of a school in western Sweden is under investigation for unilaterally scrapping the marks given to a class of eighth graders because they were too low in comparison to other schools in the area.

Principal stopped kids from getting marks that were 'too low'

In the wake of the principal’s move, the students at the school, located in Uddevalla in western Sweden, still haven’t received their final marks for the autumn term in home economics, which left teachers fuming.

“The teacher has been prohibited from setting grades and therefore obstructed in exercising his authority,” Annica Levander of Sweden’s National Union of Teachers (Lärarnas riksförbund) told the local Bohusläningen newspaper.

“This compromises fairness for students and the ability of teachers to do their jobs.”

According to Levander, the issue of low grades was apparent far earlier in the term, but the principal chose not to intervene.

By choosing only to act at the end of the term and by simply overruling the teachers’ assessment, the principal has interfered with the teacher’s authority.

“He stepped on the brakes too late,” Levander said.

The teachers union has now reported the incident to the Swedish School’s Inspectorate (Skolinspektionen) and the Parliamentary Ombudsman (Justitieombudsmannen).

The Swedish School’s Inspectorate hasn’t begun a formal investigation yet, as it is waiting for official documentation, but project manager Elisabeth Porath Sjöö explained there are limits on principals’ ability to affect grading decisions.

“A principal can only get involved in the grading process if there are two teachers for a class who aren’t in agreement,” she told the paper.

But, Dennis Reinhold, head of school operations at the municipality, thinks the principal acted responsibly, however.

“Based on the information I have received, I believe he made the right decision. But this is a unique situation,” he told the paper.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

EDUCATION

Inquiry calls for free after-school care for 6-9 year-olds in Sweden

Children between ages 6-9 years should be allowed admittance to after-school recreation centers free of charge, according to a report submitted to Sweden’s Minister of Education Lotta Edholm (L).

Inquiry calls for free after-school care for 6-9 year-olds in Sweden

“If this reform is implemented, after-school recreation centers will be accessible to the children who may have the greatest need for the activities,” said Kerstin Andersson, who was appointed to lead a government inquiry into expanding access to after-school recreation by the former Social Democrat government. 

More than half a million primary- and middle-school-aged children spend a large part of their school days and holidays in after-school centres.

But the right to after-school care is not freely available to all children. In most municipalities, it is conditional on the parent’s occupational status of working or studying. Thus, attendance varies and is significantly lower in areas where unemployment is high and family finances weak.

In this context, the previous government formally began to inquire into expanding rights to leisure. The report was recently handed over to Sweden’s education minister, Lotta Edholm, on Monday.

Andersson proposed that after-school activities should be made available free of charge to all children between the ages of six and nine in the same way that preschool has been for children between the ages of three and five. This would mean that children whose parents are unemployed, on parental leave or long-term sick leave will no longer be excluded. 

“The biggest benefit is that after-school recreation centres will be made available to all children,” Andersson said. “Today, participation is highest in areas with very good conditions, while it is lower in sparsely populated areas and in areas with socio-economic challenges.” 

Enforcing this proposal could cause a need for about 10,200 more places in after-school centre, would cost the state just over half a billion kronor a year, and would require more adults to work in after-school centres. 

Andersson recommends recruiting staff more broadly, and not insisting that so many staff are specialised after-school activities teachers, or fritidspedagod

“The Education Act states that qualified teachers are responsible for teaching, but that other staff may participate,” Andersson said. “This is sometimes interpreted as meaning that other staff may be used, but preferably not’. We propose that recognition be given to so-called ‘other staff’, and that they should be given a clear role in the work.”

She suggested that people who have studied in the “children’s teaching and recreational programmes” at gymnasium level,  people who have studied recreational training, and social educators might be used. 

“People trained to work with children can contribute with many different skills. Right now, it might be an uncertain work situation for many who work for a few months while the employer is looking for qualified teachers”, Andersson said. 

SHOW COMMENTS