Many have lost their jobs during the current pandemic. Foreign-born, often newly arrived, who are far from the labor market, have been hit particularly hard by the crisis. Education is therefore an important tool for improving integration. The Government is now investing further in initiatives within municipal adult education and higher vocational education to improve for adults who need to strengthen their position in the labor market.
After the Parliament decided on 16 June on the spring amendment budget for 2021, the government has now made the decisions required for the proposed education initiatives to be realized.
For more information (in Swedish)
The Government has decided on amendments to ordinances within municipal adult education due to amendments to the law that have been decided through the bill “Komvux for strengthened competence supply”. Changed selection rules and a new university preparatory degree will simplify things for both students and municipalities.
For more information in Swedish
As a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic unemployment has increased significantly during the spring. Since there has emerged a great need of education the Government has decided to take over the financing of the regional vocational adult education during the whole 2020. The decision is therefore valid retroactively from 1 January 2020.
For more information in Swedish.
The Swedish National Agency for Higher Vocational Education (Myndigheten för yrkeshögskolan, MYH) will start implementing the changes to higher vocational education according to the government proposal from spring 2020. MYH will start with a testing period for introducing a faster way to an exam for those who already have professional knowledge that equals a larger part of a higher vocational education. This will help open a way for experienced people in the trade to reach positions with more responsibility.
He results of this government assignment will be reported by 14 April 2023.
The government has decided to adjust the contents of the vocational upper secondary school programmes. Among other things the number of general subjects for vocational programmes within health care have been increased. This is to adjust the competence of the assistant nurses to the current needs.
A new health care programme is the first step in the government's plan to regulate the assistant nurse profession. The new programme is planned to start during autumn 2021.
For more information in Swedish
Students have not been able to receive national student aid for studies abroad that do not lead to a degree. The National Board of Student Aid (Centrala studiestödsnämnden CSN) is now given the right to grant student aid i cases that have not been possible before, e.g. for folk high school studies within the Nordic countries.
An amendment to the Ordinance for Student Aid (Studiestödsförordning) makes it now possible to grant student aid if the lack of final degree would be similar in corresponding studies in Sweden.
For more information in Swedish
The proposal referred to the Council on Legislation for consideration (lagrådsremiss) proposes changes to the Education Act. The proposal aims e.g. that the municipal adult education (komvux) will contribute more than before to the competence needs of the working life. It should better meet the education needs of adults at all stages of life.
It is also proposes that the special education for adults (särvux) for those with learning disabilities will become one part of municipal adult education (komvux) instead of being an own school form.
For more information in Swedish.
The memorandum On the way - towards strengthened quality and equivalence within municipal adult education for pupils with Swedish as a second language was handed to the Government on 31 May 2019.
It is the report from the Commission of Inquiry which investigated the need for changes in municipal adult education when it applies to Swedish tuition for immigrants (sfi) and sfi in combination with other forms of education. The inquiry analyzes the conditions to offer sfi students a good quality education that corresponds to the students' needs and conditions. Another objective is to improve the flow of students within sfi and facilitate the transition to and combinations with other adult education programs.
Some examples of the proposals:
For more information in Swedish please see: På väg – mot stärkt kvalitet och likvärdighet inom komvux för elever med svenska som andraspråk, KLIVA
As announced in the Government budget bill for 2018, Higher Vocational Education (yrkeshögskola) is currently going through an expansion and increasing the amount of offered student places. The expansion began in 2018 and will take place in steps until 2022 when the full-time equivalent student places will have increased with 45%. This is an increase from 30 000 to 44 000 full-time equivalent student places and an increase in students from 50 000 to 70 000. In January 2019 the Swedish National Agency for Higher Vocational Education (Myndigheten för yrkeshögskolan) presented the results showing which higher vocational education and training programmes that can start from 2019. The frequency of grants was 45%, which equals 14 171 new student places. Three education areas were prioritized in 2019, Social structure and Building Engineering, Technology and Manufacturing and Computer/IT.
Read more about Higher Vocational Education in chapter 6 Upper Secondary and Post-Secondary Non-Tertiary Education.
Read more about the application process for education providers to start new higher vocational education and training programmes in article 6.4 Organisation of Post-Secondary Non-Tertiary Education.
In March 2019 the Swedish National Council of Adult Education (Folkbildningsrådet) submitted their budget data for financing of the operations 2020-2022 to the Government. The Council wants the Government to increase the funding to liberal adult education with approximately SEK 700 million (approximately 67 millon EURO). Examples of the proposed initiatives are 2000 new full-time equivalent student places at folk high schools (folkhögskola), establishment initiatives for foreign-born people and that activities with the target groups asylum seekers and some newly arrived immigrants are made permanent. In addition, the council suggests that Swedish tuition for immigrants (sfi) at folk high school level is investigated.