After massive criticism of the lack of scientific knowledge of the school authorities, the State Treasury has conducted a review of the tasks and responsibilities of the Swedish National Agency for Education, the National Agency for Education, the National Board of Education, the National School Inspectorate and the National Institute for School Research.
The proposal: Even more power for the Swedish National Agency for Education.
On behalf of the government, the State Treasury has reviewed the responsibilities and tasks of the school authorities, and has concluded that the Swedish National Agency for Education, together with SPSM, should be responsible for communicating research.
This means that the School Research Institute will be discontinued as an authority, and instead be classified under the Swedish National Agency for Education.
The Swedish National Agency for Education has previously been criticized for a lack of scientific rigor in the support material aimed at teachers. The reorganization is being done because the authorities’ areas of responsibility overlap, and because they risked giving conflicting advice.
What do you think about the Swedish National Agency for Education, which has received a lot of criticism, being given an even larger assignment?
“The authority that compiles and communicates research will need to do so in the best possible way and with the best possible quality. It takes time to build up the expertise, resources and routines required. It is important to take care of all the good work that has already been done, and for teachers, that there is continued focus on compiling and financing teaching-related research,” says Pontus Wallin.
