The high absenteeism has been a problem in the primary school in Eskilstuna for a long period.
With the pandemic, the situation hardly got better.
Before the autumn term 2021, the schools started working according to a model called the absence ladder to increase attendance at the lessons.
"The levels are far too high"
The method is largely about helping schools to detect absenteeism as early as possible, regardless of whether it is valid or not.
But the results have not materialized.
Since last autumn, students at the municipal primary and lower secondary schools have been away for an average of 13 percent of their school time.
- Now the pandemic has calmed down the absence so it is starting to come down to more normal levels.
But even those levels are far too high, says Hans Ringström and continues:
- We will agree with the principals this April on the work on the absence ladder, he says.
Need new methods
After the criticism, he says that the management of the children and education administration will start looking for new methods for the autumn term to reduce absenteeism.
- We have so far not developed good methods to support the schools, says Ringström.
What is the responsibility between parents and school for the children to go to school? In the clip above, Hans Ringström answers how he views this