'Let the state take back the school'
The recently published and, for Sweden, dismal PISA results have led to a debate in Sweden as what to do with the school system. The knowledge Swedish 15-year olds have in math, science, and reading comprehension continues to go down, according to PISA.

Now a study that was conducted by SIFO on behalf of SVT shows that a majority in Sweden wants the school to, again, become nationalized. In fact six out of ten Swedes want to see this happen. Many remain unsure, however, and 12% do not want the Swedish school nationalized. Says Sifo survey manager Toivo Sjörén:
”This applies to nearly all age groups and all parties. Of course, people were asked what they wanted, (not how it) should be done. But there’s a feeling that something must be done. And of course the PISA report plays a big part.” Voters from all parties are behind a re-nationalization of the Swedish school, but most positive are the ones from the Left Party, and least positive to the idea are the Christian Democrats.

Minister for Education Jan Björklund has earlier proposed a re-nationalization of the school. In a debate article from Svenska Dagbladet in 2011, Björklund wrote: ”Those who at one time pushed for the municipalization, both from a political and trade union point of view, rarely have any principaled arguments with which to defend the system we have today.”