Government investing in more reading time and less screen time

Moreover, strong reading skills enable pupils to navigate the world and acquire necessary knowledge and information, but also to experience the joy of reading – an opportunity to discover new worlds and understand both others and themselves.

Scientific studies show that screen-free environments provide better conditions for children to develop relationships, concentrate, and learn to read and write. It is therefore important for digital learning aids to only be introduced in teaching at an age when they encourage, rather than hinder, pupils’ learning. The use of such aids must therefore be carefully considered.

Some of the Government’s ongoing and implemented initiatives are summarised below.

More books in schools

Sweden’s pupils need more textbooks, and the Government is striving to fulfil the principle of one textbook per pupil and subject. Physical books are important for pupils’ learning and teachers’ work, but many schools still lack appropriate textbooks. In 2023, the Government introduced a new grant targeting preschool classes, compulsory school and equivalent forms of schooling. This government grant can be used to purchase textbooks and teachers’ guides. This funding has totalled SEK 685 million in 2023, SEK 658 million in 2024 and SEK 755 million in 2025. The Government has allocated SEK 555 million for 2026 and the subsequent years.

New curricula for compulsory school and equivalent types of schools are planned to come into force from 2028, and there need to be appropriate textbooks and teachers’ guides to help with the teaching of the new curricula. Therefore, the Government has invested in a temporary increase of the government grant for the purchase of textbooks and teacher's guides by SEK 500 million for 2028.

Previously, pupils’ access to textbooks was not guaranteed. With the Riksdag’s decision on the Government Bill ‘Improved access to teaching aids’, clarifications to the Education Act that entered into force on 1 July 2024, included ensuring that pupils have access to textbooks and other teaching and learning tools. 

The Government has tasked the Swedish Schools Inspectorate with reviewing pupils’ access to textbooks and other course material.

Access to good fiction and non-fiction is needed to ignite a passion for reading. The Government has launched measures to enhance the possibility for preschools and schools to purchase more literature. SEK 176 million was allocated in 2024, and SEK 480 million in 2025. 

Pupils should have access to staffed school libraries

School librarians and well-equipped school libraries play an important role in promoting both interest and skills in reading. Nonetheless, access to staffed school libraries varies greatly. In November 2024, the Government voted in favour of the Government Bill ‘Strengthened school libraries’. This decision involves clarifications in the Education Act to ensure that pupils have access to staffed school libraries in their own schools from 1 July 2025. The Government has allocated SEK 216 million to improve school libraries in 2025, SEK 433 million for 2026, and it estimates that it will then be an annual appropriation of SEK 433 million.

It is important that the official library statistics provide an overview of access to staffed libraries throughout the country. SEK 1.2 million was therefore allocated in 2024 to the National Library of Sweden to develop these statistics, with the same amount planned for 2025.

Mobile-free schools with fewer distractions

Pupils handing in their mobile phones during the school day could promote their confidence, learning and development of knowledge. The Government intends to make schools mobile-free throughout the country. This means that it will be obligatory to collect pupils’ mobile phones for the whole school day in compulsory schools, adapted primary schools, special schools, Sami schools and out-of-school centres. The new rules are expected to come into force prior to the autumn term of 2026. To implement the changes, the Government proposes to allocate SEK 95 million in 2026, and estimates that SEK 100 million will be allocated annually from 2027.

Preschool children should have more books and fewer screens

The Government has adopted amendments to the preschool curriculum that mean that there are no longer any requirements for children to use digital learning tools in schools. In this decision, the Government also clarifies that only analogue learning tools, such as books, should be used for children under the age of two and that potential use of non-analogue learning tools should be greatly restricted for all other children. The amendments entered into force on 1 July 2025.

National Agency for Education to investigate use of screens in schools

Many pupils experience being distracted by other pupils using digital devices such as mobile phones during lessons. At the same time, cyberbullying has become increasingly common over the past decade. The National Agency for Education has therefore been tasked with investigating how digital devices are used in schools and out-of-school centres. It will propose measures to help reduce the use of digital devices that pupils themselves bring to school or out-of-school centres and that negatively affect pupils, their knowledge development or education, including potential measures to help reduce gender differences in school results. The commission presented an interim report on its remit in May 2025, and a final report will follow in March 2026. 

Remedial teaching for pupils who need it

The current provisions on extra adaptations and special support do not work as intended Many pupils today are lacking knowledge and skills in reading, writing and mathematics. Support is often given too late and does not sufficiently meet the needs of pupils. The Government wants to introduce remedial instruction as a new support initiative from late 2028, which will give pupils the possibility of early skills training in areas such as reading. 

National tests in year 3 should not be digital

The National Agency for Education is tasked with developing digital national tests in compulsory schools and at upper secondary level. In January 2024, the Government amended this task in order for the national tests in primary schools to no longer be digital. There is scientific evidence that pupils in the early years of compulsory school learn best by using pens, paper and physical books. For this reason, national tests in primary school should also be analogue.

Government will not proceed with digitalisation strategy

The Government will not proceed with the National Agency for Education’s digitalisation strategy proposal. The strategy was circulated for consultation and received criticism from neuroscientists and paediatricians.

National Agency for Education must consider risks of digitalisation

The National Agency for Education is responsible for matters of digitalisation in the area of education. The Government has amended the Agency’s instructions to ensure that the Agency also pays particular attention to the risks posed by digitalisation.

New curricula with clearer focus on reading

In February 2025, the Curriculum Inquiry presented its proposals. The Inquiry was tasked with reviewing the curricula. It has submitted proposals on how reading and reading comprehension can be enhanced in the curricula, as well as on how texts on digitalisation could be better adapted, based on children’s cognitive development, learning and pupils’ crucial need to acquire a critical and responsible approach to digital technology. The Government has proposed allocating SEK 40 million for 2026 for the National Agency for Education to further the work on new curricula. Additional funds are also planned for future years. 

Teacher education to be developed

In December 2024, the Inquiry presented its proposals to develop teacher and preschool teacher education programmes. It was tasked with proposing how admissions requirements for teacher and preschool teacher education programmes can be raised and subject teacher education enhanced, and how the programmes can focus more on subject knowledge, cognitive science and practical methods. The Inquiry stressed the importance of enhancing education in the acquisition of reading and writing skills through structured phonics methods and that it is important that teaching students themselves have good Swedish language skills. It is also important that future teachers receive education and training in how to use physical textbooks and other teaching aids and practical handwriting exercises in lessons. The Inquiry’s proposals are currently being reviewed by the Government Offices, and the Government intends to work with the future teachers Inquiry’s proposals that aim to improve the quality of educational programmes. This involves increasing the focus on Swedish studies and methods to acquire reading and writing skills, and continuing education in cognitive science for teacher trainers. 

New qualitative targets for teaching aids in teacher education

High-quality education tools are crucial to school pupils’ learning. Therefore, students in teacher education need to be trained in the use and evaluation of textbooks and other teaching aids and learning tools. For this reason, the Government introduced new qualitative targets in 2023 for undergraduate, vocational and subject teacher education courses. The aim is to ensure that students are better equipped to select and use textbooks in their professional activities, along with other teaching aids and learning tools. 

Government assignment for learning aids to provide more reading time and less screen time

Teachers’ ability to choose and use learning aids is crucial to the quality of instruction and to learning. Compiled scientific empirical data and proven experience show that basic skills such as relational skills, attention and concentration, and the ability to read, write and do arithmetic, are best acquired through analogue activities in analogue environments. Focus should be on physical books at younger ages, and on digital learning aids only being used when they have positive effects as children grow older, provided that this is done selectively and based on clear scientific support and documented educational added value. 

The National Agency for Education has therefore been tasked with drafting support material that can be applied to the selection and use of learning aids in teaching. By 7 November at the latest, the Agency will start to release support material and present a plan to the Government Offices on how and when the support material will be available to all the target groups. 

Reading lists with fiction for preschools, compulsory schools and upper secondary schools

In order for all pupils to have the opportunity to read both Swedish and international fiction, the Government tasked the National Agency for Education and the Swedish Arts Council with creating reading lists of such material. These lists can help teachers choose when they are choosing literature for their instruction. If necessary, the reading lists should be updated annually. The Agency and the Council should also implement initiatives that support how these efforts are carried out in preschools and schools. In addition, government agencies – in dialogue with publishers and other market actors – should work to ensure the availability of these books.

Increased contributions to the Swedish Institute for Children’s Books

The Government wants to increase knowledge and research on children’s and young people’s reading, and therefore support the activities of the Swedish Institute for Children’s Books by increasing their annual budget by SEK 6 million in 2024 and by SEK 4 million from 2025. The grant in 2025 totalled SEK 11 million.