Gällivare's administrative chief Peter Olsson has criticized Education Minister Simona Mohamsson (L) for her response in a parliamentary debate on school issues in the Malmfälten area. He describes it as outright insulting to students, educators, and school leaders in the region. The debate addressed declining school results and low teacher qualifications in Gällivare and Kiruna.
In an interpellation debate in the Swedish parliament, the question was raised about how the government plans to address the problems in schools in Gällivare and Kiruna, where school results are declining and teacher qualifications are low. Education Minister Simona Mohamsson (L) responded by listing the government's announced school reforms, including a ten-year compulsory school, new curricula, and regulated teaching hours. She stated that these measures would make the teaching profession more attractive.
Peter Olsson, Gällivare's administrative chief, reacted strongly to the minister's response. In an interview with the newspaper Skolledaren, he said: “It is outright insulting to students, educators, and school leaders in Malmfälten.” He criticizes the response for not directly addressing the local challenges.
The background to the issues is that higher salaries in the mining industry around Malmfälten are drawing teachers away from schools. Over the past two years, 27 and 30 percent of students, respectively, have not achieved eligibility for upper secondary school.
