Sweden is one of the few countries in Europe where schools were kept open after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic during the spring of 2020.

The Swedish Schools Inspectorate published a report on the effects of the pandemic on Swedish schools during 2020 with the title “Education under the influence of the Corona pandemic: A summary of central observations from a simplified inspection of 260 compulsory schools and compulsory schools for pupils with learning disabilities”. This report illustrates the situation during the spring and the first half of the autumn 2020 from the points of view of headmasters from 260 schools and pupils from 237 schools. 

The inspection results show that there has been an intense work in the schools in order to adjust to the Covid-19 situation. School health services seem to have played a key role in coping with the pandemic. The schools have prepared themselves for the possible absence of some teachers and pupils by setting up a web-based distance learning system combined with suitable homework. This flexibility seems to have mitigated the effect of the pandemic as the pupils and teachers showing symptoms could participate from home. However, some problems have arisen. For example, the difficulty in following up the knowledge development due to absence of some pupils and teachers and also in making pupils keep distance from each other within the school buildings. 

In general, it seems that most schools have managed to prepare well for the exceptional circumstances during the pandemic. However, many scholastic institutes may need to put more effort in how to follow up and help the pupils that need extra support. 

More information:  https://www.skolinspektionen.se/beslut-rapporter-statistik/publikationer/ovriga-publikationer/2020/utbildning-under-paverkan-av-coronapandemin---grundskola/ 

Source: Eurydice Unit Sweden