For almost thirty years, the school has offered education and housing for young people on the autism spectrum who need support around the clock. It is the only school of its kind in Sweden, and is based on revenues from municipalities that choose to place students in the school.
Slightly fewer chose to do so during the pandemic – which led to large income losses as the cost for each student amounts to two and a half million kronor per year.
"Maybe you lived on some kind of hope now that we had come out of the pandemic that the students would come back," says the regional board's chairman Christoffer Öqvist (M), who at the same time sees the student drop as a temporary effect of the external situation.
Could have acted faster
As a result of the drop in student numbers, it was announced earlier this week that nine of the school's 117 employees were being laid off. It also plans to take several measures to curb the school's finances.
Something Christoffer Öqvist sees that they could have started earlier.
"You could have started prioritizing differently last year," says Christoffer Öqvist.
Investment of 42 million can be paused
Last year, the region also announced a major investment in new student housing at the school. A project that was then estimated to cost SEK 42 million – and which can now be put on hold.
"It feels reasonable to do at this point. With a reduced number of students where we need to make savings, it is natural to postpone, says Christoffer Öqvist, who points out that the issue is primarily something that the responsible committee will now take a position on.
Hear the operations manager Charlotta Widerberg about how the school now intends to act to bring the number of students back up in the clip.