2024-04-242023/24:UbU9 · p.21UbUEducation
The public principle in independent schools
Freedom-of-information principle in independent schools
What's at stake: The decision determines whether parents, pupils, media and the public will be able to scrutinise how independent schools are run and how public funds are used there, in the same way as already applies to municipal schools.
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 the freedom-of-information principle should be extended to cover all independent schools, giving the public and media the same right of access as in municipal schools, or whether the current arrangement should remain.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee opposes the motions to extend the freedom-of-information principle to independent schools. In the context of school choice, selection and school transport, the committee rejects the motions and favours keeping the current regulation, under which the freedom-of-information principle does not cover independent schools.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 43 (S, V, C, MP)
The reservation (S, V, C, MP) considers it unreasonable that independent schools are not covered by the freedom-of-information principle, which is central to Swedish democracy and gives the public and media the right to scrutinise the use of public funds. Treating information about how a school is run as a trade secret makes it hard for parents and pupils to make well-informed choices, and even small municipal schools and government agencies are already covered by the principle. The freedom-of-information principle should therefore be extended to all independent schools.
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 43 by S, V, C, MP.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
The decision would have gone the other way
Explicit commitments that contradicted the vote: LLiberalerna
Ja 154–152Nej 140–166
Counterfactual: the parties above are moved to the position their own documents explicitly point at, carrying their whole contingent present. Every other party keeps its real figures, including dissenters and absentees.
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 | No 0/21/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: high | derived |
| S | No | No 0/92/0/14 | follows the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
| MP | No | No 0/16/0/2 | follows the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
| C | No | No 0/22/0/2 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| L | No | Yes 14/0/0/2 | departs from the planagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| KD | Yes | Yes 17/0/0/2 | follows the plan | confidence: low | derived |
| M | Yes | Yes 59/0/0/9 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| SD | No | Yes 63/0/0/9 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects the motions 2023/24:990 by Nooshi Dadgostar et al. (V) point 9, 2023/24:2451 by Camilla Hansén et al. (MP) point 4, 2023/24:2482 by Muharrem Demirok et al. (C) point 37 and 2023/24:2687 by Åsa Westlund et al. (S) point 6.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2023/24:990 av Nooshi Dadgostar m.fl. (V) yrkande 9, 2023/24:2451 av Camilla Hansén m.fl. (MP) yrkande 4, 2023/24:2482 av Muharrem Demirok m.fl. (C) yrkande 37 och 2023/24:2687 av Åsa Westlund m.fl. (S) yrkande 6.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag rejected 135 proposals in motions on general school issues from the general motion period 2023. The reason is among other things existing regulations and ongoing investigations. The proposals deal for example with measures to improve learning outcomes, the distribution of responsibility and resources in the school system and independent schools.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants the National School Board to be tasked with continuing to develop quality dialogues and for the knowledge contribution to strengthen school equality. (S, V, C, MP) — Reservation 43
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 counts the principle of public access as one of democracy's most important foundations and criticizes sharply that tax money for schools disappears into corporate profits without transparency.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan counts the principle of public access as one of democracy's most important foundations and criticizes sharply that tax money for schools disappears into corporate profits without transparency. Extending the principle of public access to all independent schools provides precisely the transparency in how public funds are used that the plan calls for. The plan does not explicitly mention independent schools' transparency, which is why the support is derived but strong.
Original (Swedish)
Planen räknar offentlighetsprincipen till demokratins viktigaste byggstenar och kritiserar hårt att skattemedel till skolan försvinner till koncerners vinster utan insyn. Att utvidga offentlighetsprincipen till alla fristående skolor ger just den insyn i hur offentliga medel används som planen efterlyser. Planen nämner inte fristående skolors offentlighet uttryckligen, varför stödet är härlett men starkt.
- the principle of public access as a democratic foundationdecisive»Några av den politiska demokratins viktigaste byggstenar är föreningsfriheten, yttrande- och tryckfriheten, offentlighetsprincipen och meddelarfriheten.« (party programme ↗)“Some of political democracy's most important foundations are freedom of association, freedom of expression and freedom of the press, the principle of public access and freedom of information for the press.”
- transparency in how tax funds are used»Som enda land i världen råder det fri dragningsrätt på de skattemedel som ska gå till våra barns utbildning.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“As the only country in the world there is free drawdown rights on the tax funds that should go to our children's education.”
- scrutiny of school corporations»Pengarna du och jag betalar för våra barns skolgång och framgång går till vinster i skolkoncerner och hamnar i skatteparadis.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The money you and I pay for our children's schooling and success goes to profits in school corporations and ends up in tax havens.”
- abolish the market-driven school system»Vänsterpartiet vill avskaffa marknadsskolan med start nästa mandatperiod.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Left Party wants to abolish the market-driven school system starting next term.”
The election manifesto contains the explicit commitment that society shall have full insight into all schools through the freedom of information principle.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto contains the explicit commitment that society shall have full insight into all schools through the freedom of information principle. The programme requires the same transparency and insight from private actors in tax-funded welfare and that citizens shall be able to scrutinise activities regardless of operational form. The counter-proposal's requirement to extend the freedom of information principle to all independent schools is thus the plan's own position.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet innehåller det uttryckliga åtagandet att samhället ska ha full insyn i alla skolor genom offentlighetsprincipen. Programmet kräver samma öppenhet och insyn hos privata aktörer i den skattefinansierade välfärden och att medborgarna ska kunna granska verksamheten oavsett driftsform. Motförslagets krav att utvidga offentlighetsprincipen till alla fristående skolor är därmed planens egen ståndpunkt.
- full insight into all schoolsdecisive»Samhället ska ha full insyn i alla skolor genom offentlighetsprincipen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Society shall have full insight into all schools through the freedom of information principle.”
- insight into private welfare actors»krav på öppenhet och insyn ska ställas på de privata aktörer som verkar inom den« (party programme ↗)“requirements for transparency and insight shall be placed on private actors working within”
- scrutiny regardless of operational form»Oavsett i vilken form skattefinansierad verksamhet drivs ska medborgarna ha möjlighet att« (party programme ↗)“Regardless of what form tax-funded activities are run in, citizens shall have the opportunity to”
The party programme asserts that whistleblower protection and the principle of public access to documents shall apply to all publicly funded welfare services and that operations' finances shall be disclosed openly.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme asserts that whistleblower protection and the principle of public access to documents shall apply to all publicly funded welfare services and that operations' finances shall be disclosed openly. The principle of public access and whistleblower protection must also be valued and strengthened generally. That the principle of public access is extended to independent schools therefore follows directly from the plan, and also strengthens the conditions for fair school choice.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att meddelarfrihet och offentlighetsprincipen ska gälla alla offentligt finansierade välfärdstjänster och att verksamheternas ekonomi ska redovisas öppet. Offentlighetsprincipen och meddelarfriheten ska dessutom värnas och stärkas generellt. Att utvidga offentlighetsprincipen till fristående skolor följer därmed direkt av planen, och stärker dessutom förutsättningarna för ett rättvist skolval.
- principle of public access in all welfaredecisive»Meddelarfrihet och offentlighetsprincipen ska gälla« (party programme ↗)“Whistleblower protection and the principle of public access to documents shall apply to”
- open financial disclosure»redovisas öppet. Vid offentliga upphandlingar ska« (party programme ↗)“be disclosed openly. In public procurement”
- value the principle of public access»Offentlighetsprincipen och meddelarfriheten måste« (party programme ↗)“The principle of public access and whistleblower protection must be”
- fair school choice requires transparency»bryta skolsegregationen och göra skolvalet fritt och rättvist för alla.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“break down school segregation and make school choice free and fair for all.”
The plan requires that schools share more information, that oversight of schools and their owners be tightened and that Sweden becomes even more transparent.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that schools share more information, that oversight of schools and their owners be tightened and that Sweden becomes even more transparent. Allowing the transparency principle to cover independent schools is a way to realize that insight into how public funds are used. The party programme makes openness and transparency basic prerequisites for preventing corruption.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att skolorna delar mer information, att tillsynen av skolor och deras ägare skärps och att Sverige blir ännu mer transparent. Att låta offentlighetsprincipen omfatta fristående skolor är ett sätt att förverkliga den insynen i hur offentliga medel används. Partiprogrammet gör öppenhet och transparens till grundförutsättningar för att förhindra korruption.
- more information from schoolsdecisive»Vi vill också skärpa tillståndsprövningen för utländska ägare, se till att skolorna delar mer information och skapa ett mer aktivt skolval för alla.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We also want to tighten licensing assessment for foreign owners, ensure that schools share more information and create more active school choice for all.”
- tightened oversight of schools»vi vill skärpa tillsynen av skolor och deras ägare« (2022 manifesto ↗)“we want to tighten oversight of schools and their owners”
- increased transparency»Sverige ska bli ännu mer transparent.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden shall become even more transparent.”
- openness against abuse of power»Öppenhet och transparens är grundförutsättningar för frihet, demokrati och för att förhindra korruption« (party programme ↗)“Openness and transparency are basic prerequisites for freedom, democracy and for preventing corruption”
The party programme establishes that publicly financed activities shall be subject to the same rules on confidentiality and source protection regardless of whether they are conducted in public or private form, and that this is especially important in schools.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme establishes that publicly financed activities shall be subject to the same rules on confidentiality and source protection regardless of whether they are conducted in public or private form, and that this is especially important in schools. The principle of public access is described as fundamental to democracy and scrutiny. The counter-proposal's demand for transparency in independent schools is thus the plan's own line, and also facilitates school choice.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att offentligt finansierad verksamhet ska omfattas av samma regler om sekretess och meddelarskydd oavsett om den bedrivs i allmän eller privat regi, och att detta är extra viktigt i skolan. Offentlighetsprincipen beskrivs som grundläggande för folkstyret och för granskning. Motförslagets krav på insyn i fristående skolor är därmed planens egen linje, och underlättar dessutom skolvalet.
- same rules regardless of formdecisive»ska omfattas av samma regler om sekretess och meddelarskydd oavsett om den bedrivs i allmän« (party programme ↗)“shall be subject to the same rules on confidentiality and source protection regardless of whether they are conducted in public”
- especially important in schools»eller privat regi, och även om den drivs i bolagsform. Extra viktigt är detta i vård, skola, omsorg« (party programme ↗)“or private form, and even if conducted in corporate form. Especially important is this in healthcare, schools, elderly care”
- importance of principle of public access»Offentlighetsprincipen har en grundläggande betydelse för att förankra och fördjupa folkstyret,« (party programme ↗)“The principle of public access has fundamental importance for anchoring and deepening democracy,”
- transparency facilitates school choice»tydlig information om skolornas kvalitet.« (party programme ↗)“clear information about schools' quality.”
The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.
The plan's core education commitment is to protect the right to independent schools and the freedom for individuals to start and run schools, and that privately run activities shall be given the same conditions as public.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's core education commitment is to protect the right to independent schools and the freedom for individuals to start and run schools, and that privately run activities shall be given the same conditions as public. Imposing a regulatory framework designed for public actions on independent providers does not follow from the plan. However, the plan emphasizes the value of public institutions and that secrecy shall be used restrictively, which pulls in the opposite direction.
Original (Swedish)
Planens bärande skolåtagande är att värna rätten till fria skolor och friheten för enskilda att starta och driva skolor, och att verksamhet i enskild regi ska ges samma villkor som offentlig. Att lägga ett regelverk utformat för det allmännas handlingar på fristående huvudmän följer inte av planen. Planen betonar dock offentlighetens värde och att sekretess ska nyttjas restriktivt, vilket drar åt motsatt håll.
- the right to independent schoolsdecisive»värnandet om familjen, rätten till fria skolor« (party programme ↗)“protection of the family, the right to independent schools”
- freedom to run schools»Medborgarna ska därför ha frihet och möjlighet att organisera sig efter eget önskemål« (party programme ↗)“Citizens shall therefore have freedom and the opportunity to organize themselves according to their preference”
- restrictive secrecy»Sekretessmöjligheten ska nyttjas restriktivt.« (party programme ↗)“Secrecy opportunities shall be used restrictively.”
The plan's path to transparency in independent schools goes through supervision and quality requirements: highly set quality criteria for dividend distribution, withdrawn license for serious shortcomings and a special inspection mandate for the School Inspection Authority.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's path to transparency in independent schools goes through supervision and quality requirements: highly set quality criteria for dividend distribution, withdrawn license for serious shortcomings and a special inspection mandate for the School Inspection Authority. At the same time, a third of companies' administration costs should be removed and the diversity of school operators valued. Applying the principle of public access to all independent schools is another path that the plan does not support.
Original (Swedish)
Planens väg till insyn i fristående skolor går via tillsyn och kvalitetskrav: högt ställda kvalitetskriterier för vinstutdelning, indraget tillstånd vid allvarliga brister och ett särskilt granskningsuppdrag till Skolinspektionen. Samtidigt ska en tredjedel av företagens administrationskostnader bort och mångfalden av huvudmän värnas. Att lägga offentlighetsprincipen på alla fristående skolor är en annan väg som planen inte ger stöd åt.
- supervision and quality requirementsdecisive»Se till att skolor som drivs i företagsform lever upp till högt ställda kvalitetskriterier för att få göra vinstutdelning samt dra in tillståndet för skolor som allvarligt brister« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Ensure that schools operated as businesses meet highly set quality criteria to be allowed to distribute profits and withdraw the license for schools that have serious shortcomings”
- inspection through the School Inspection Authority»Ge Skolinspektionen i särskilt uppdrag att granska och stänga skolor som kan misstänkas främja radikalisering och segregation« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Give the School Inspection Authority a special assignment to inspect and close schools that may be suspected of promoting radicalization and segregation”
- reduced administrative burden»Ta bort en tredjedel av företagens administrationskostnader och en tredjedel av regelkrånglet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Remove a third of companies' administrative costs and a third of red tape”
- diversity of school operators»Det svenska utbildningssystemet ska präglas av mångfald« (party programme ↗)“The Swedish education system should be characterized by diversity”
The plan requires strengthened opportunities for holding to account when public resources are mismanaged, increased transparency and tightened requirements and controls on independent activities.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires strengthened opportunities for holding to account when public resources are mismanaged, increased transparency and tightened requirements and controls on independent activities. Extending public access principles to independent schools provides precisely the insight into how tax funds are used that the plan calls for, and also facilitates well-informed school choices that the plan values.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver stärkta möjligheter till ansvarsutkrävande när hanteringen av offentliga resurser brister, ökad transparens och skärpta krav och kontroller på fristående verksamheter. Att utvidga offentlighetsprincipen till fristående skolor ger just den insyn i hur skattemedel används som planen efterlyser, och underlättar dessutom välgrundade skolval som planen värnar.
- accountability for public fundsdecisive»Sverigedemokraterna vill stärka möjligheter för ansvarsutkrävande när hanteringen av de offentliga resurserna brister.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden Democrats want to strengthen opportunities for holding to account when the handling of public resources falls short.”
- tightened requirements for independent providers»Öka kraven för fristående förskolor samt utöka Skolinspektionens befogenheter och kontroller« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Increase requirements for independent preschools and expand the School Inspection Board's powers and controls”
- increased transparency»Tjänstemannaansvar ska införas och åtgärder ska genomföras för att öka transparensen och möjligheten att utkräva politiskt ansvarsutkrävande.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Official accountability shall be introduced and measures shall be taken to increase transparency and the opportunity to exercise political accountability.”
- informed school choice»Det fria skolvalet ska värnas för att ge valfrihet åt föräldrar och elever.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Freedom of school choice should be protected to give choice to parents and students.”
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.
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2023/24:UbU9)
- Committee report full text (HB01UbU9)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2023/24:1007 — Differentiering av skolpengen av Gunilla Carlsson och Dzenan Cisija (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:1027 — Kommunal vetorätt vid friskoleetableringar av Adrian Magnusson (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1046 — Vinststopp i skolan av Azra Muranovic m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1049 — Pornografins skadeverkningar av Roland Utbult (KD)
- Motion 2023/24:1066 — Friskolors etableringsrätt av Tomas Eneroth (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1073 — Förbud mot religiösa friskolor av Anna Wallentheim (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1229 — Pedagogiska tjänster samt fjärrundervisning av Martina Johansson (C)
- Motion 2023/24:1316 — Skolfrukost av Malin Larsson och Peder Björk (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:1476 — Hälsosam och kvalitetssäkrad skolmat av Markus Wiechel och Alexander Christiansson (båda SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1493 — Spetskompetens inom tech av Adnan Dibrani och Mattias Jonsson (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:1551 — Elever med skyddad identitet av Åsa Eriksson och Eva Lindh (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:1573 — Allmänt fritidshem och lovverksamhet för barn av Adnan Dibrani m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1575 — Avgiftsfri skola och ökad jämlikhet av Mattias Vepsä (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1675 — Syskonförtur i kommunala skolor av Azadeh Rojhan och Alexandra Völker (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:1892 — Sveriges kristna kulturarv av Julia Kronlid och Aron Emilsson (båda SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1896 — En helt avgiftsfri skola av Yasmine Bladelius (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1931 — Avgiftsfri skollunch på gymnasiet av Amalia Rud Pedersen och Dzenan Cisija (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:1946 — Gratis skolfrukost av Yasmine Bladelius (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1985 — Skolskjuts till och från fritis för barn inom anpassad skola av Magnus Manhammar (S)
- Motion 2023/24:2050 — Avskaffande av marknadsskolan av Kristoffer Lindberg m.fl. (S)
Source: The Swedish Parliament