Upper secondary schools must be able to have both teaching in the school and distance education from 25 January.

That announcement was made by the government on Thursday for upper secondary schools, which have recently begun their third semester of distance learning.

- The students lose too much and feel bad when the school is not open, says Minister of Education Anna Ekström (S) during her participation in the SVT program Corona Special.

"Heavy responsibility for students"

She hopes for relief for the schools when more and more people are vaccinated.

- It is a heavy responsibility that the students have had to bear.

The Swedish Transport Agency has said that there will be no flatbeds this year either.

Unfortunately, there will be a different celebration this year as well, but I hope that the vaccine will mean a certain relief, says Ekström.

She does not want to give any guarantees or dates for when the teaching can return to normal.

- If I had to decide, we would do it tomorrow, but we have to adapt to the pandemic.

To completely return to only local education - then we must have come further in our fight against the pandemic, says Anna Ekström.

"Must do everything they can"

She points to the principals of the schools, it is up to them to act to reduce the spread of infection.

If it is not possible to do it in a safe way, it is distance learning that should apply.

- The principals must do everything they can, municipalities and regions have received a lot more money during this period to handle the responsibility, says Minister of Education Anna Ekström.

See the entire Corona Special here.