Education in Sweden sinking dramatically
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A more ambitious, national reform strategy is now urgently needed to improve quality and equity in education, according to a new OECD report.
Only 5% of lower secondary teachers believe that teaching is a valued profession.
In the most recent test in 2012, Sweden ranked 28 among the 34 OECD countries in mathematics, 27 in reading and 27 in science.
"Sweden should take advantage of the broad consensus among teachers, schools and politicians of the urgent need for reform," said Andreas Schleicher, OECD Director of Education and Skills, launching the report in Stockholm with Swedish Education Minister Gustav Fridolin.
"Agreeing a national education strategy with clear priorities and responsibilities and stronger accountability will be critical to promoting long-term quality and equity."
School discipline has worsened, with students more likely to arrive late for school than in any other OECD country, according to the report. And despite high job satisfaction, only 5% of lower secondary teachers believe that teaching is a valued profession in society, among the lowest levels across participating countries in a 2013 OECD survey on teaching and learning (TALIS).
Rising immigration has only had a limited impact on declining performance overall, says the OECD, but the gap between immigrants and native-born remains a challenge: almost one in two immigrant students (48%) perform below the baseline level in maths, compared with 22% for native-born students. ■