Government investing in more reading time and less screen time

“The best conditions for developing basic reading and writing skills are in analogue environments and using analogue tools. That’s why it is important that pupils get to work with pen and paper and, not least, have access to textbooks and staffed school libraries,” says Minister for Schools Lotta Edholm.

Moreover, strong reading skills enable pupils to navigate the world and acquire necessary knowledge and information, and 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 completed 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 government grant targeting preschool classes, compulsory school and equivalent forms of schooling. This grant can be used to purchase textbooks and teachers’ guides. In total, SEK 685 million in 2023, SEK 658 million in 2024 and SEK 755 million in 2025 have been allocated. After this, the annual allocation will be SEK 555 million per year.

Previously, pupils’ access to textbooks was not guaranteed. With the Riksdag’s decision on the Government Bill Stärkt tillgång till läromedel (‘Improved access to teaching aids’), clarifications to the Education Act entered into force on 1 July 2024, and include 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 both good fiction and non-fiction is needed to ignite a passion for reading. The Government has launched measures to enhance preschools’ and schools’ possibilities to purchase more literature. 

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 Stärkta skolbibliotek (‘Strengthened school libraries’). This decision involves clarifications in the Education Act to ensure that pupils have access to staffed school libraries in their own school from 1 July 2025. The Government has allocated SEK 216 million for strengthening school libraries in 2025, projected to then become an annual amount 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.

Government wants to make schools mobile-free

Pupils handing in their mobile phones during the school day could promote their safety, learning and development of knowledge. The Government has tasked an inquiry with investigating how regulations for collecting mobile phones and other electronic communication devices during the school day could be drafted. These regulations should encompass preschool classes, compulsory school and equivalent school forms, as well as out-of-school centres. The report will be presented in the first half of 2025.

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. These amendments to the preschool curriculum will enter into force on 1 July 2025.

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 as children grow older and when they are shown to have positive effects, under the condition that this is done selectively and based on clear scientific support and documented educational added value. 

The Government has therefore tasked the National Agency for Education with drafting general guidelines or recommendations and support material on the selection and use of learning aids in instruction. These recommendations will be presented by 30 April 2025 and the support material will be available in mid-2025.

National Agency for Education will investigate the 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, and 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.

An interim report will be presented in May 2025. 

Government wants to remove digital learning aid requirement in preschools

The preschool curriculum currently stipulates that teachers have a responsibility to make sure that every child has access to digital tools. On behalf of the Government, the National Agency for Education has carried out a review of digitalisation in the preschool curriculum. Part of the review included proposing amendments that mean removing the current requirement for digital learning aids in preschools. Any potential use of digital learning aids in preschools should take place selectively, based on clear scientific support and documented educational added value. The review was submitted in June 2024 and is currently being processed at the Government Offices. 

National tests in year 3 will not be digitised

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 the Agency’s remit for national tests and assessment support in compulsory schools at primary school level to no longer be digitised. Scientific studies show that pupils in the lower years of compulsory school learn best by using pen, paper and physical books. For this reason, compulsory schools’ national tests at primary school level will also be analogue.

Government will not proceed with digital strategy

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

National Agency for Education must consider the risks of digitalisation

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

Clearer curriculum wording on reading and digital technology

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 the 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 Inquiry’s proposals are currently being processed by the Government Offices.

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 the admissions requirements for teacher and preschool teacher education programmes can be raised and subject teacher education enhanced, and how the programmes can gain focus on subject knowledge, cognitive science and practical methods. Research has shown how important writing by hand is for learning to read and spell, which is why it is important that teaching students acquire this knowledge during their education and training. Studies also show that reading comprehension of longer factual texts is better when texts are in print rather than on screen. It is therefore important that teaching students receive education and training in how to use physical textbooks, other teaching aids and practical handwriting exercises in lessons. The Inquiry’s proposals are currently being processed by the Government Offices.

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 has introduced new qualitative targets 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. 

Reading lists of Swedish and international fiction 

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 serve as support to teachers 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 provide support to the way in which these efforts are carried out in preschools. In addition, government agencies – in dialogue with publishers and other market actors – should promote the availability of these books.

Increased contributions to Swedish Institute for Children’s Books

The Government wants to increase knowledge and research on children’s and young people’s reading, and therefore strengthened 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 contribution in 2025 totals SEK 11 million.