Policy Document

Law regarding comprehensive schools (1962:319); The 1962 comprehensive school code (1962:439)

Year

1962

Country

Sweden

Topic

Education

Subtopic

Compulsory Schooling

Keywords

Compulsory education Educational policy Educational systems Formal education Schooling

Main implications

With these codes a unitary school system was introduced. Nine years of school attendance became compulsory in the comprehensive schools (i.e. grundskola), which were first introduced in July 1962 and were fully established throughout the country by 1972/73. The parliamentary decision to introduce comprehensive schools ended all experiments with nine-year experimental comprehensive schools that began with the school year 1961/62. The strong rules demanding children to be present at school introduced in the 1950s was further supported. There was also an updated national curriculum (Läroplan 1962) introduced in 1962.

Benefits & Requirements

Coverage: Eligible groups or beneficiaries

School-aged children residing in Sweden.

Age range

7 - 16

Duration (numbers of years of compulsory education stipulated by this document)

ISCED levels included in compulsory education

1 - 2

Dedication (number of hours per week stipulated by this document)

39 weeks per year

Is educational tracking implemented or modified by this document?

Education and training required for a compulsory school teacher stipulated by this document

A teacher must have attend seminars to be educated in the school subjects and have passed a test.

Is the compulsory education of children of undocumented migrants granted by this document?

Implementing Text & Related Legislation

Original name of the legal document/act (native language)

Skollagen (1962:319), Skolstadgan (1962:439)

Are the effects retroactive?

Date of effect

1^st July 1962

Financing

State

Earlier related reforms

HM's statute (1958:399) regarding primary schools (folkskolor), continuation schools (fortsättningsskolor), and other types of schools providing basic education (such as the experimental comprehensive schools, i.e. försöksskolor), also known as the 1958 primary school code.

Other related legislation

In 1968, when the five-day school week was introduced, it was ruled that the school year should be extended from 39 to 40 weeks. HM's proclamation (1962:480) regarding comprehensive school curriculum. (Kungl. Maj:ts kungörelse (1962:480) om läroplan för grundskolan m. m.)

Read the Law

Original full text source in native language

Svensk författningssamling 1962:319. Skollagen. Stockholm: Utbildningsdepartementet. Svensk författningssamling 1962:439. Skolstadgan. Stockholm: Utbildningsdepartementet.

Secondary Literature & Sources

Secondary literature

Richardsson, G. "Svensk utbildningshistoria: skola och samhälle förr och nu". Studentlitteratur, Lund (2010).
Statistics Sweden. "Elever i obligatoriska skolor 1847-1962". PM No 1974:5. Statistiska centralbyrån, Stockholm, 1974.