Stories

Wed, 15 Apr 2026

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 Back to books - Sweden's schools give up digital learning

Swedish classrooms swap laptops for books, pens and paper, raising concerns from the tech sector.

* Sweden's government is moving away from digital tools in classrooms, citing a need to improve literacy levels and reverse falling scores in PISA rankings.
* The shift towards traditional teaching methods has sparked criticism from tech companies, educators, and computer scientists who argue it could harm pupils' employment prospects and impact the economy.
* Since 2025, pre-schools are no longer required to use digital tools, and tablets aren't given to children under the age of two.
* A ban on mobiles in schools will come into force later this year, even for educational use.
* Schools have been allocated over $200m to invest in textbooks and teacher guides.
* The government hopes the shift back to traditional teaching methods will help improve Sweden's standing in PISA rankings and boost literacy levels.
* Critics argue that pupils can lose concentration through seeing what other children are doing on screens, and that heavy screen use can impact brain development.
* A report by the OECD concluded that Swedish pupils benefit from access to digital tools, but highlighted a high prevalence of digital distractions in classrooms.
* Trade association Swedish Edtech Industry warns that a more analogue education could leave pupils underprepared for future jobs and damage Sweden's economy.