S ministers describe religious free schools as a "poison cocktail"

In a debate article in Expressen, Education Minister Anna Ekström and Interior Minister Mikael Damberg describe the substandard controls of religious free schools as a "poison cocktail" that has attracted rogue and dangerous actors.

- It is obvious that the control over who is allowed to run the school has been too weak. Therefore, the government has recently tightened the rules and last week we decided to review how the School Inspectorate's opportunities to close schools with major deficiencies can increase, says Anna Ekström (S) to SVT News.

The minister also says that the government has appointed an inquiry to provide sharp suggestions on how to stop new religious free schools.

The S-ministers' debate article receives criticism from the Friskolornas riksförbund's CEO Ulla Hamilton, who calls it substandard and believes that the ministers are playing on people's concerns.

How do you view the criticism?

- We cannot accept that other than knowledge and education are the focus of the school. In the article, we outline some of the measures taken by the government last term and will take within the framework of the January agreement. If the Friskolnas national federations are critical and think that today's regulations are good as they are, then it must stand up for them, says Anna Ekström.