2023-12-192023/24:UbU6 · p.4UbUEducation
Fees in municipal adult education
Right to free-of-charge study materials in municipal adult education
What's at stake: Many adult-education students have low incomes and are sometimes forced to buy their own study materials today, which can worsen their chances of completing their education. The decision therefore affects whether adult students get the same free access to materials that school pupils and sfi students already have.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The question is whether adult-education students, like sfi students, should have an explicit right to free study materials, or whether the new general wording in the Education Act on access to materials needed for the education is sufficient.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee rejects the motion calling for a specific strengthening of access to study materials in municipal adult education. The reason is that the bill's new provisions on the right to textbooks, other study materials and tools needed for good learning apply with the same wording to adult education at basic and upper-secondary level, adapted adult education, and sfi as to other forms of schooling, so the committee sees no need for a separate parliamentary statement.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 5 (S, MP)
The reservation (S, MP) calls for the government to return with a proposal giving municipal adult-education students, as sfi students already have, the right to free study materials. The reasoning is that many students today have low incomes and are forced to prioritise food over materials, which forces teachers to adapt their teaching and reduces students' chances of reaching the education goals; the reservers also want to clarify that sfi students' existing statutory right to free materials includes being able to borrow books to take home.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 5 by S, MP.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
What each plan points to — and how the party voted
For each party: the vote its own election manifesto and party programme point to in this case, next to how the party actually voted. A plan can only point to Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| Plan | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | Abstain 0/0/20/4 | departs from the plan | confidence: high | not addressed |
| S | No | No 0/93/0/14 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| MP | No | No 0/16/0/2 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| C | No | Yes 20/0/0/4 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 14/0/0/2 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| KD | No | Yes 16/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| M | No | Yes 59/0/0/9 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| SD | Yes | Yes 61/0/0/11 | follows the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects the motions 2023/24:2753 by Daniel Riazat et al. (V) point 3 and 2023/24:2755 by Åsa Westlund et al. (S) points 1 and 2.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2023/24:2753 av Daniel Riazat m.fl. (V) yrkande 3 och 2023/24:2755 av Åsa Westlund m.fl. (S) yrkandena 1 och 2.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag said yes to the government's proposal for amendments to the Education Act. The amendments aim to strengthen students' access to appropriate teaching materials. The provisions regulating what students shall have access to in education at preschool, elementary school, adapted elementary school, special school, Sámi school, secondary school and adapted secondary school are clarified. The provisions shall state that students have free access to textbooks, other teaching materials and other learning tools needed for good knowledge development in accordance with the goals of education. Furthermore, the Education Act is supplemented with definitions of the terms textbook, teaching material and learning tool. Also in the provisions on the various forms of education within municipal adult education (komvux) it shall appear that students have access to textbooks, other teaching materials and other learning tools needed for good knowledge development in accordance with the goals of education. The legislative amendments come into force on July 1, 2024.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants access to learning materials strengthened within municipal adult education. (S, MP) — Reservation 5
Plan vs actual vote
Every party, in chamber order: what its own plan pointed to, how it voted, and the reasoning behind both. Highlighted rows are where the two differ — but a vote that follows the plan is a result too, so the reasoning is there for every party.
The plan establishes that it should become easier to pursue education after upper secondary school regardless of the thickness of your wallet, that folk high schools and Komvux are needed throughout the country and that the opportunity to pursue further education as an adult is of great importance.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that it should become easier to pursue education after upper secondary school regardless of the thickness of your wallet, that folk high schools and Komvux are needed throughout the country and that the opportunity to pursue further education as an adult is of great importance. Giving Komvux students the right to free teaching materials removes precisely that economic barrier. The plan says nothing about the committee's reasons for the new common provisions in the School Act already covering the issue.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att det ska bli lättare att utbilda sig efter grundskolan oavsett plånbokens tjocklek, att Komvux och folkhögskolor behövs i hela landet och att möjligheten att vidareutbilda sig i vuxen ålder har stor betydelse. Att ge komvuxstuderande rätt till kostnadsfria läromedel tar bort just det ekonomiska hindret. Planen säger inget om utskottets skäl att skollagens nya gemensamma bestämmelser redan täcker frågan.
- education regardless of economicsdecisive»Det måste bli lättare att utbilda sig efter grundskolan oavsett vem du är, tjockleken på din plånbok eller var i landet du bor.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It must become easier to pursue education after primary school regardless of who you are, the thickness of your wallet or where in the country you live.”
- Komvux throughout the country»Folkhögskolor och Komvux behövs i hela landet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Folk high schools and Komvux are needed throughout the country.”
- right to adult education»Möjligheten att i vuxen ålder kunna vidareutbilda eller omskola« (party programme ↗)“The opportunity as an adult to be able to pursue further education or retraining”
- no one should be prevented by economics»Studiemedlen ska höjas för att alla ska ha« (party programme ↗)“Study grants should be raised so that everyone has”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The party programme establishes that education provided by society shall be free of charge, that learning is a lifelong process, and that special attention shall be given to those with short basic education.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme establishes that education provided by society shall be free of charge, that learning is a lifelong process, and that special attention shall be given to those with short basic education. The right to free teaching materials in adult education (komvux) and Swedish for immigrants (sfi) is a direct application of these commitments for a group with low income. The election manifesto's line on being able to learn a profession alongside Swedish language studies points in the same direction.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att utbildning i samhällelig regi ska vara avgiftsfri, att lärandet är en livslång process och att särskild uppmärksamhet ska ägnas dem med kort grundutbildning. Rätt till kostnadsfria läromedel inom komvux och sfi är en direkt tillämpning av dessa åtaganden för en grupp med låga inkomster. Valmanifestets linje att kunna lära sig ett yrke parallellt med svenska pekar i samma riktning.
- free educationdecisive»ska vara avgiftsfria liksom högskoleutbildning i samhällelig regi« (party programme ↗)“shall be free of charge as shall higher education provided by society”
- prioritize those with short education»Särskild uppmärksamhet ska ägnas de med kort grundutbildning.« (party programme ↗)“Special attention shall be given to those with short basic education.”
- lifelong learning»Lärandet blir en livslång process« (party programme ↗)“Learning becomes a lifelong process”
- adult education as path to employment»Att kunna lära sig ett yrke parallellt med studier i svenska är ytterligare ett sätt att öka chansen att få jobb.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Being able to learn a profession alongside Swedish language studies is yet another way to increase the chance of getting a job.”
The plan wants everyone to have the chance to complete upper secondary education even as adults, emphasises municipal adult education (komvux) and folk high schools as important paths to lifelong learning and holds fast to free education as a principle.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants everyone to have the chance to complete upper secondary education even as adults, emphasises municipal adult education (komvux) and folk high schools as important paths to lifelong learning and holds fast to free education as a principle. That regulations shall be designed to facilitate students' completion of their studies directly speaks against course material costs determining whether adult students can meet the objectives. The requirement for free course materials in municipal adult education and Swedish for immigrants (sfi) is therefore supported.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill att alla ska få chansen att fullfölja gymnasiet även som vuxna, lyfter komvux och folkhögskolor som viktiga vägar till livslångt lärande och håller fast vid avgiftsfrihet som princip i utbildningen. Att regelverken ska utformas så att de underlättar för studerande att fullfölja sina studier talar direkt mot att läromedelskostnader avgör om vuxenstuderande kan klara målen. Kravet på kostnadsfria läromedel inom komvux och sfi stöds därför.
- all shall be able to complete upper secondary educationdecisive»Därför ska alla få chansen att få slutbetyg från« (party programme ↗)“Therefore all shall get the chance to get a final certificate from”
- facilitate completed studies»Regelverken ska utformas så att de underlättar för studenter att fullfölja sina studier« (party programme ↗)“Regulations shall be designed to facilitate students in completing their studies”
- free education»avgiftsfri för alla studenter.« (party programme ↗)“free of charge for all students.”
- municipal adult education as path to learning»skolan är bra. Komvux, folkhögskolor och andra« (party programme ↗)“school is good. Municipal adult education, folk high schools and others”
The plan lifts up vocational adult education for those lacking upper secondary school diplomas and that all who wish shall be able to educate themselves throughout their lives, which presumes that the cost of teaching materials does not become a barrier.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan lifts up vocational adult education for those lacking upper secondary school diplomas and that all who wish shall be able to educate themselves throughout their lives, which presumes that the cost of teaching materials does not become a barrier. The plan's integration line with intensive language studies particularly speaks for securing access to teaching materials for Swedish for Immigrants students. The requirement to even out injustices from inheritance and upbringing bears the same conclusion.
Original (Swedish)
Planen lyfter fram yrkesvux för den som saknar gymnasieexamen och att alla som vill ska kunna utbilda sig genom hela livet, vilket förutsätter att kostnaden för läromedel inte blir ett hinder. Planens integrationslinje med intensiva språkstudier talar särskilt för att sfi-elevers tillgång till läromedel säkras. Kravet att utjämna orättvisor från arv och uppväxt bär samma slutsats.
- adult education for alldecisive»Från yrkesvux för den som saknar gymnasieexamen till konkurrenskraftiga universitet och forskning i världsklass.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“From vocational adult education for those lacking upper secondary school diplomas to competitive universities and research in world class.”
- intensive language studies»Skapa ett intensivår för snabbare integration. Den som får uppehållstillstånd ska snabbt integreras och ges möjlighet att försörja sig själv.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Create an intensive year for faster integration. Those who receive a residence permit shall quickly be integrated and given the opportunity to support themselves.”
- retraining throughout life»För den som förlorat arbetet, eller vill byta inriktning senare i livet, måste studiesystemet erbjuda möjligheter« (party programme ↗)“For those who have lost work, or want to change direction later in life, the education system must offer opportunities”
- even out injustices»att utjämna de orättvisor som arv och uppväxt skapat« (party programme ↗)“to even out the injustices that inheritance and upbringing have created”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan requires a major initiative on teaching materials so that pupils receive proper schoolbooks, and that the person who lacks complete primary or secondary education can at any time supplement through well-functioning adult education.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires a major initiative on teaching materials so that pupils receive proper schoolbooks, and that the person who lacks complete primary or secondary education can at any time supplement through well-functioning adult education. If adult students with low incomes are forced to forgo teaching materials that opportunity disappears. The plan's demands for improved quality in SFI also bears the demand for free teaching materials there.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver en storsatsning på läromedel så att eleverna får riktiga skolböcker, och att den som saknar fullständig grund- eller gymnasieutbildning när som helst kan komplettera genom en väl fungerande vuxenutbildning. Om vuxenstuderande med låga inkomster tvingas avstå från läromedel uteblir just den möjligheten. Planens krav på höjd kvalitet i sfi bär också kravet på kostnadsfria läromedel där.
- major initiative on teaching materialsdecisive»En storsatsning på läromedel måste göras så att eleverna får riktiga skolböcker och landets lärare slipper stå och kopiera.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“A major initiative on teaching materials must be made so that pupils get proper schoolbooks and the country's teachers stop having to copy.”
- right to adult education»Den som saknar fullständig grundskole- eller gymnasieutbildning ska ha rätt att när som helst« (party programme ↗)“Anyone who lacks complete primary or secondary education shall have the right to at any time”
- functioning adult education»en väl fungerande och flexibel kommunal vuxenutbildning« (party programme ↗)“a well-functioning and flexible municipal adult education”
- improved quality in SFI»Därför vill vi bland annat öka kraven och kvaliteten i SFI« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Therefore we want, among other things, to increase demands and quality in SFI”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan requires that adult education is well-developed, that schools are ensured resources for students with special needs, and that education is not limited by fees for the individual.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that adult education is well-developed, that schools are ensured resources for students with special needs, and that education is not limited by fees for the individual. Knowledge of the Swedish language is, according to the plan, a key to integration, and immigrants shall be guaranteed good opportunities for such education, which supports the right to free educational materials within komvux (municipal adult education) and sfi (Swedish for immigrants).
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att vuxenutbildningen är väl utbyggd, att skolor tillförsäkras resurser för elever med särskilda behov och att utbildning inte begränsas av avgifter för den enskilde. Kunskaper i svenska språket är enligt planen en nyckel till integration, och invandrare ska garanteras goda möjligheter till sådan undervisning, vilket talar för rätt till kostnadsfria läromedel inom komvux och sfi.
- well-developed adult educationdecisive»Det innebär att vuxenutbildningen ska vara väl utbyggd.« (party programme ↗)“That means adult education shall be well-developed.”
- education in Swedish»Invandrare ska garanteras goda möjligheter till« (party programme ↗)“Immigrants shall be guaranteed good opportunities for”
- language as key to integration»Jobb, kunskap i svenska språket och det civila samhället är viktiga nycklar till integration.« (party programme ↗)“Jobs, knowledge of the Swedish language, and civil society are important keys to integration.”
- resources for students' needs»Skolorna ska tillförsäkras resurser för att kunna tillmötesgå elever med särskilda« (party programme ↗)“Schools shall be ensured resources to be able to meet students with special”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan makes the Swedish language and a more effective SFI the key to being able to get a job, and requires that adult education has relevant content.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan makes the Swedish language and a more effective SFI the key to being able to get a job, and requires that adult education has relevant content. Ensuring access to free teaching materials, including the possibility of borrowing books in SFI, removes a practical barrier to precisely that language development. The plan also shows that it is prepared to impose obligations on municipalities when student learning requires it.
Original (Swedish)
Planen gör svenska språket och en effektivare SFI till nyckeln för att kunna få ett arbete, och kräver att vuxenutbildningen har ett relevant innehåll. Att säkerställa tillgång till kostnadsfria läromedel, inklusive möjligheten att låna hem böcker inom sfi, undanröjer ett praktiskt hinder för just den språkutvecklingen. Planen visar också att den är beredd att lägga skyldigheter på kommuner när elevers lärande kräver det.
- more effective SFIdecisive»En förutsättning för att kunna få ett arbete är ofta att man kan tala begriplig svenska. Moderaterna vill därför göra SFI effektivare.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“A prerequisite for being able to get a job is often being able to speak understandable Swedish. The Moderates therefore want to make SFI more effective.”
- relevant adult education»De gymnasiala yrkesutbildningarna och vuxenutbildningarna i Sverige måste få ett innehåll som är relevant och eftertraktat.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The upper secondary vocational education and adult education in Sweden must have content that is relevant and in demand.”
- municipal obligations for learning»Göra det obligatoriskt för kommuner att erbjuda läxhjälp från lågstadiet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Make it mandatory for municipalities to offer homework help from elementary school”
- education as the foundation of welfare»utbildningssystemet är också fundamentet i vårt välfärdssystem« (party programme ↗)“the education system is also the foundation of our welfare system”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The counter-proposal wants to give students in municipal adult education the right to free teaching materials and clarify sfi students' rights.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The counter-proposal wants to give students in municipal adult education the right to free teaching materials and clarify sfi students' rights. The plan does not address teaching material charges within adult education at all. The nearest principle is the requirements-based line that rights to tax-financed welfare should be thresholded and follow language learning and work, which speaks against expanded free provisions, although the plan at the same time wants to offer newly arrived people basic Swedish instruction.
Original (Swedish)
Motförslaget vill ge studerande inom kommunal vuxenutbildning rätt till kostnadsfria läromedel och förtydliga sfi-elevers rätt. Planen behandlar inte läromedelsavgifter inom vuxenutbildningen alls. Närmast liggande princip är den kravbaserade linjen att rättigheter till skattefinansierad välfärd ska tröskelsättas och följa språkinlärning och arbete, vilket talar mot en utvidgad kostnadsfrihet, även om planen samtidigt vill erbjuda nyanlända grundläggande svenskundervisning.
- raised threshold to welfaredecisive»Skärpa villkoren för medborgarskap och höja tröskeln för att ta del av skattefinansierad välfärd« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Tighten conditions for citizenship and raise the threshold for access to tax-financed welfare”
- requirements-based integration policy»Utforma en kravbaserad integrationspolitik som ger rättigheter till välfärden i takt med språkinlärning, arbete och slutligen medborgarskap« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Design a requirements-based integration policy that grants rights to welfare in pace with language learning, work and finally citizenship”
- basic Swedish instruction is offered»Invandrare som kommer till Sverige skall erbjudas grundläggande utbildning« (party programme ↗)“Immigrants arriving in Sweden shall be offered basic education”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2023/24:UbU6)
- Committee report full text (HB01UbU6)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2023/24:1930 — En jämlik skola av Mattias Jonsson och Amalia Rud Pedersen (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:2451 — Utbildning och forskning för ett hållbart samhälle av Camilla Hansén m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:2482 — En skola för livsresor av Muharrem Demirok m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2023/24:2687 — Utgiftsområde 16 Utbildning och universitetsforskning av Åsa Westlund m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:2753 — med anledning av prop. 2023/24:21 Stärkt tillgång till läromedel av Daniel Riazat m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2023/24:2755 — med anledning av prop. 2023/24:21 Stärkt tillgång till läromedel av Åsa Westlund m.fl. (S)
- Proposition 2023/24:21 — Stärkt tillgång till läromedel
Source: The Swedish Parliament