In brief
Sweden's government is implementing a significant shift in educational policy, returning to traditional methods of teaching that rely heavily on physical books and paper over digital devices. This change, initiated as a strategy to improve student literacy rates, has sparked debates about the implications for students' future job readiness in a technology-driven economy. Critics argue that the move could hinder the development of essential digital skills among students, especially in a country known for its tech-savvy environment and thriving start-up culture. Amid mixed responses from students and educators, the approach reflects broader concerns about navigating the balance between digital engagement and traditional educational methods.
Sweden's government is championing a renewed focus on physical books, paper, and pens in classrooms, designed to reverse falling literacy levels.
But doubling down on analogue tools has drawn criticism from tech companies, educators, and computer scientists, who argue it could impact pupils' employment prospects and even damage the Nordic nation's economy.
At a high school in Nacka just outside Stockholm, final-year students are unpacking laptops from rucksacks and tote bags, alongside items they say they used less frequently a few years ago.
I now go home from school with new books and papers often, says Sophie, 18. She says one teacher has started printing all the texts that we use during the lesson, while a digital learning platform in maths lessons has been swapped out for textbook-only teaching.
It's an image that clashes with Sweden's reputation as one of Europe's most tech-savvy societies, thanks to high levels of digital skills and a thriving tech start-up scene.
Laptops became mainstream in Swedish classrooms in the late 2000s and early 2010s. By 2015, around 80% of pupils at municipal state-funded high schools had individual access to a digital device, according to official data.
The compulsory use of tablets in preschools was included in the curriculum in 2019, as part of the previous Social Democrat-led government's mission to prepare even the youngest children for an increasingly digital work and private life.
But the current right-wing coalition, which came to power in 2022, is moving teaching in a different direction.
We're trying, actually, to get rid of screens as much as possible, says Joar Forsell, an education spokesperson for the Liberal party whose leader is Sweden's education minister.
The government has frequently used the slogan från skärm till pärm, which translates to from screen to binder. It argues that screen-free lessons create better conditions for children to concentrate and develop their writing and reading skills.
Since 2025, preschools are no longer required to use digital tools and tablets aren't given to children under the age of two. A ban on mobiles in schools – even for educational use – is set to be enforced later this year.
Schools have already been allocated more than 2.1 billion krona ($200 million; £157 million) in grants to invest in textbooks and teacher guides. A new curriculum designed to enforce textbook-based learning is expected by 2028.
Reading real books and writing on real paper, and counting with real numbers on real paper, is much better if you want kids to get the knowledge they need, argues Forsell.
The government hopes the shift back to more traditional teaching methods will help improve Sweden's standing in the Pisa rankings - the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's (OECD) benchmark for core educational subjects. Once a star performer, Sweden's scores plummeted in 2012, and after a brief recovery saw another significant dip in maths and reading in 2022.
However, while some students support the return to traditional methods, others feel that embracing digital education is essential for future job prospects. This divergence in opinion highlights ongoing debates about the role of technology in modern education and the skills required for tomorrow's workforce.
