School profits for the four largest groups: SEK 4.6 billion in five years

The school groups Academedia, Engelska Skolan, Thorengruppen and Kunskapsskolan all have a turnover of billions.

In total, the four school groups have earned SEK 4.6 billion over the past five years.

This also includes unpublished profit figures from annual reports that SVT has received from the Swedish Companies Registration Office.

Academedia is the largest with 13 billion in sales and 767 million in profit in the most recent financial year.

- The sector is growing, it has done so for 30 years, since the independent schools started.

It is going well for Academedia, says communications director Paula Hammerskog.

Proposal from the government

School and profits have become a hot election issue with political proposals every other day, from several camps.

Last week, the government came up with the proposal that the municipalities should be able to reduce the independent schools' school fees, since the independent schools, unlike municipal schools, do not have an equal responsibility.

Municipal schools are, for example, obliged to receive all children and to offer a school place close to home, and to receive children if independent schools are closed.

- Municipal schools are paid for that obligation in another way than through school fees.

It is therefore wrong to say that the independent schools are paid for what it is now, says Paula Hammerskog.

On a par with the major bank SEB

There are many small independent school companies with one or a few schools, which have varying financial situations.

But the largest school groups have a profit margin after net financial items of between 5 and 12 percent, and good profitability shows SVT's review.

Academedia has a 13.2 percent return on equity.

It is on a par with, for example, the major bank SEB.

Would you really not be able to provide tuition to the students for whom you receive tuition fees, even if you were reduced tuition fees?

- Of course we would be able to continue teaching, but we would have to give up a number of things.

Development such as the two large campuses we are now building in Stockholm with almost 5,000 school places, we would probably have a hard time managing, says Paula Hammerskog.