Swedish government proposes profit restrictions for new independent schools

The Swedish government and the Sweden Democrats have proposed stricter rules for independent schools, including a five-year profit ban for new establishments, though opposition parties argue the measures do not go far enough, SVT Nyheter reports.

Education Minister Simona Mohamsson (Liberal Party) called the reform the “most significant change to the independent school system since its introduction.” The proposal, outlined in a new legislative referral, includes a ban on profit distribution—referred to as a “value transfer prohibition”—for the first five years after a school’s establishment, three years following a change of ownership, and two years after regulatory intervention.

“If a school fails in quality and does not operate in the best interests of children, it should not be allowed to extract profits,” Mohamsson said during a debate on the public broadcaster’s Aktuellt programme.

Anders Ygeman of the opposition Social Democrats welcomed the move as a “small step” but dismissed it as insufficient to prevent profit extraction from the school system. “This does not solve the underlying problems,” he argued.

The government’s proposal also tightens conditions for independent schools in what the Liberal Party describes as a “complete overhaul” of the system. Further details of the debate are available on SVT Play.