This year, Vilhelmina Municipality is forced to borrow 60 million for operations and salaries, and the municipality's deficit now indicates that it wants to close the village schools in Nästansjö and Malgovik.
Parents in both schools therefore plan to start free schools instead. In an application submitted to the School Inspectorate on January 19, the authority appeals to the application to treat the application expeditiously. But the response from the inspection was not what the parents hoped for.
- The School Inspectorate says that they do not have the time and believes that the children can still complete the education by busing to Vilhelmina. In addition, we were denied that both schools should have the same principal. It is too far between schools apparently, says Vanja Marthin, a resident of Malgovik and one of the parents in the group to start free schools.
Plugs for teachers
Vanja Marthin has six children, four of whom have already left primary school. One goes to preschool in Malgovik and one goes to second in Malgovik. And as an event, Vanja is currently plugging in teachers for grades 4-6. But following the municipality's plans to close two primary schools, she has expanded to grades 7-9.
- I have become a little fun since the municipality started talking about closures. If they close two village schools, then there will be no vacancies to apply for in the near future, says Vanja Marthin.
Free schools by autumn 2021
On March 2, the City Council will make a decision on the issue and as it seems today, the majority consisting of the Center, the Social Democrats and the Left will close the village schools. If the schools are closed down, about 70 children will instead be bused to the Volgsjö school in Vilhelmina urban area.
But despite the Swedish National Agency for Education's decision, the parents do not give up the fight to start free schools in the villages.