At the end of September, the school board announced that just over 16 percent of all high school students lack high school eligibility when they graduate. One aspect that, according to the National Agency for Education, affects the students' results is their migration background. SVT has taken a closer look at the statistics concerning specifically foreign-born pupils' upper secondary school eligibility. In the spring of 1999, 77.1 percent of all foreign-born ninth-graders had upper secondary education after high school. In the spring of 2019, only 58.3 percent had the same qualifications.

- It is difficult to learn everything you need to learn in nine years, maybe only one or two years. When a student comes to Sweden, they do a survey, says Education Minister Anna Ekström (S).

When a student is new in Sweden, it is up to the school to find out how much the person in question can and what teaching is needed.

- You often start in a preparation class where you get to work hard in Swedish. You also get clear support. We have arranged law school and extra reading which we ensure there are resources for. It is done a lot, says Anna Ekström.

Students do not agree

But according to the students Gabriella Rios and Paul Garay, this is not enough. Gabriella has lived in Sweden for a year and Paul came to Sweden two years ago. They both attend ninth grade at Bäckahagen's school in Stockholm and, according to their teachers, are ambitious and motivated students.

- It is going well in school, I get help, but I need more help with the Swedish because I do not understand everything perfectly, says Gabriella Rios.

- When I did the introductory course, we were 13-14 students and we only had one teacher. Everyone knows a lot and if there are more teachers we can learn more, says Paul Garay.

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Here, the Minister of Education answers the questions from the students

Anna Ekström believes that there is a strong connection between coming late in life to Sweden and not being able to pass high school admission.

- If you come in high school, it is very difficult to get to learn everything. We also see that more students come from countries with school systems that are not the same as the Swedish school system, ”she says.

- I'm definitely not happy. But I am very proud of all that the Swedish school has done for many newly arrived students, says Anna Ekström.