At least 850 pupils have not returned to Swedish schools

At least 850 pupils in Sweden had not returned to school a month after the start of term, SVT reports, citing a survey by Sveriges Radio’s Ekot.

Ekot received responses from 190 municipalities. More than 90 said they had schools where pupils had not come back after the summer holidays.

Several municipalities said they were actively trying to contact the children’s guardians but did not know where the pupils were.

“It is impossible to know what kind of environment they are in if we cannot reach them. Of course, that does not feel good. It is our job to get them to school,” Andreas Lundholm, head of schools in Ljusnarsberg municipality, told Ekot.