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English teacher Sofia Elevant allowed students to play computer games in lessons almost every day, because teachers had no time for students.
Yes, it’s not something I’m proud of, but I felt in many situations that I had no other choice. I had several students who were outspoken and who could meet any resistance by becoming physically violent, abusive, or fighting. If, by giving a student a computer, I could calm that student and at the same time do some teaching, I chose that alternative, says Sofia Elevant.
Nytida Private Care Company Resource School is an elementary school for students with neuropsychiatric disabilities such as ADHD and autism. According to the Education Act (Chapter 3, Section 2), all students have the right to develop and children with disabilities must be supported.
But support is lacking in one of Nytida’s resource schools, according to several teachers, both past and present, with whom Ekot has spoken. Swedish teacher Mia Västermark says one consequence was that her students, who would have 180 minutes of Swedish a week, received significantly less instruction.
– At best, it was maybe 40 minutes a week, says Mia Västermark.
Ekot has produced figures of eight municipalities that last year paid additional support, the so-called additional amounts, for students of the Nytida resource school. The city of Stockholm paid an average of additional SEK 220,000 per pupil in addition to the usual tuition fee, which is just over SEK 100,000 for one year in upper secondary school. Upplands Väsby paid an average of 250,000 SEK in additional amounts per student and Järfälla 287,000 SEK extra.
But the teachers Ekot spoke to don’t think the school is providing the support it promises. One of the teachers is Anna Nyqvist.
– There are too many students with such great needs in a fairly small area. There is no competency required. We need sociologists on site and special educators who are in the field all the time.
What quality does this school offer, do they deliver what they promised?
– Far from! says Anna Nyqvist.
The teachers eventually chose to report Nytida’s resource school to the Swedish School Inspectorate, which recently started an inspection of the school.
Nytida’s school principal Åsa Enström does not want to answer whether the school delivers the promised quality, but refers to the ongoing review.
– I hope the Swedish school inspection will review it, he says.
But can’t you answer if the school provides the support it promises?
– The allegations received will be examined by the Swedish School Inspectorate and I look forward to that, he says.
