2025-03-132024/25:UbU12 · p.1UbUEducation
Education Sizing
State control over the sizing of upper-secondary school programmes
What's at stake: The decision concerns how quickly and forcefully the skills gap between the supply of upper-secondary programmes and labour-market needs should be addressed. It affects students at risk of training for occupations with weak job prospects, as well as municipalities and independent school operators that plan the range of programmes offered.
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 government should actively follow up and tighten state control over how upper-secondary school places are sized to match labour-market needs, or whether current legislation and ongoing work are sufficient.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee notes that the Riksdag already decided in June 2022 on amendments to the Education Act requiring that labour-market needs, not just student demand, be weighed in when school operators decide which upper-secondary programmes to offer and how many places to provide, and that municipalities must cooperate on the range on offer; the changes apply for the first time to education starting after 30 June 2025. The committee also points to Skolverket's task of continuously producing regional planning support for operators' sizing decisions, and to a government inquiry proposing a new type of vocational training whose processing the committee does not want to pre-empt. Against this background, the committee rejects the call for further state control.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 1 (S)
The reservation (S) argues that there is a skills gap between the supply of upper-secondary programmes and labour-market needs, and that the government must actively follow up the new legislation on programme sizing and ensure it is implemented nationwide; in the longer term, increased state control and sizing of upper-secondary programmes is needed, along with clearer rules for both public and independent school operators that weigh both student demand and labour-market skills needs.
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 1 by S.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
The decision would have held
Explicit commitments that contradicted the vote: VVänsterpartiet
Ja 203–94Ja 183–114
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.
How the AI parties would have voted
For each party: what its own plan – election manifesto and party programme – argues for in this case, next to how the party actually voted. The AI can only answer Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| AI | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | Yes 20/0/0/4 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| S | No | No 0/93/0/13 | match | confidence: high | explicit |
| MP | No | Yes 14/0/0/4 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| C | Yes | Yes 19/0/0/5 | match | confidence: medium | derived |
| L | No | Yes 13/0/0/3 | differs | confidence: medium | derived |
| KD | Yes | Yes 15/0/0/4 | match | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| M | No | Yes 60/0/0/8 | differs | confidence: high | derived |
| SD | No | Yes 61/0/0/11 | differs | confidence: medium | derived |
Committee proposal
Parliament rejects the motion 2024/25:3024 by Åsa Westlund et al. (S) proposal 55.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motion 2024/25:3024 av Åsa Westlund m.fl. (S) yrkande 55.
Riksdag decision: Parliament rejected approximately 60 proposals about upper secondary school in motions from the general motion period 2024. The proposals concern, among other things, education in upper secondary school, subjects and special knowledge areas, and career guidance. Parliament refers, among other things, to existing regulations and ongoing work.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants the government to actively implement and follow up on legislation that requires labor market needs to be considered when sizing upper secondary education programs. (S) — Reservation 1
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 party programme requires that the state takes over primary responsibility for schools and that the free school system is abolished, precisely because market-driven sizing does not give an equal school.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme requires that the state takes over primary responsibility for schools and that the free school system is abolished, precisely because market-driven sizing does not give an equal school. The election manifesto establishes that upper secondary school should be able to meet all children's needs and not as today be based on competition. Increased state steering and sizing with clearer frameworks for both public and private operators thus lies at the heart of the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet kräver att staten tar över huvudansvaret för skolan och att friskolesystemet avskaffas, just för att en marknadsstyrd dimensionering inte ger en jämlik skola. Valmanifestet slår fast att gymnasieskolan ska kunna möta alla barns behov och inte som idag bygga på konkurrens. Ökad statlig styrning och dimensionering med tydligare ramar för både offentliga och enskilda huvudmän ligger därmed i planens kärna.
- state primary responsibility for schoolsdecisive»För att bygga upp en jämlik skola vill vi att staten tar« (party programme ↗)“To build an equal school we want the state to take”
- secondary school to meet needs, not competition»Gymnasieskolan ska kunna möta alla barns behov, och inte som idag bygga på konkurrens.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Upper secondary school should be able to meet all children's needs, and not as today be based on competition.”
- abolish market schools»Vänsterpartiet vill avskaffa marknadsskolan med start nästa mandatperiod.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Left Party wants to abolish market schools starting the next term.”
- education for changing working life»behov i ett föränderligt arbetsliv, med breda kunskaper under« (party programme ↗)“needs in a changing working life, with broad knowledge through”
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 election manifesto wishes to regain control over where and when independent schools are established and demands a stronger link between the education offered and society's need for staff, and the party programme gives municipalities decisive influence over new school establishments.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto wishes to regain control over where and when independent schools are established and demands a stronger link between the education offered and society's need for staff, and the party programme gives municipalities decisive influence over new school establishments. The counter-proposal's demands for increased state governance and sizing as well as clearer frameworks for both public and private operators are the same in substance. Competence supply is according to the plan moreover a state responsibility.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet vill ta tillbaka kontrollen över var och när fristående skolor etablerar sig och kräver en starkare koppling mellan utbildningsutbudet och samhällets behov av personal, och partiprogrammet ger kommunerna avgörande inflytande över nya skoletableringar. Motförslagets krav på ökad statlig styrning och dimensionering samt tydligare ramar för både offentliga och enskilda huvudmän är samma sak i sak. Kompetensförsörjningen är enligt planen dessutom ett statligt ansvar.
- control over school establishmentdecisive»Vi vill förbjuda vinstuttagen i skolan och ta tillbaka kontrollen över var och när fristående skolor etablerar sig.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We wish to ban profit-taking in schools and regain control over where and when independent schools are established.”
- sizing according to needs»Det ska finns en starkare koppling mellan de utbildningar som erbjuds och de behov av personal som finns i samhället.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“There shall be a stronger link between the education offered and the need for staff that exists in society.”
- municipal influence over establishment»Kommunerna ska ha ett avgörande inflytande över nya skoletableringar.« (party programme ↗)“Municipalities shall have decisive influence over new school establishments.”
- state responsibility for competence supply»Staten har ett ansvar för att säkra kompetensförsörjningen, inte minst i välfärden.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The state has a responsibility to secure competence supply, not least in welfare.”
The plan wants the labour market to become better at matching employers and employees and for education to be offered where the need for labour is great.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants the labour market to become better at matching employers and employees and for education to be offered where the need for labour is great. Increased state control of upper secondary school sizing, with clearer frameworks for both public and private providers, is a means for that and is in line with the plan's demand for functioning public control of all providers and for school choice that breaks segregation. The plan does not speak about the sizing legislation itself.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill att arbetsmarknaden blir bättre på att matcha arbetsgivare och arbetstagare och att utbildningar erbjuds där behovet av arbetskraft är stort. Ökad statlig styrning av gymnasiets dimensionering, med tydligare ramar för både offentliga och enskilda huvudmän, är ett medel för det och ligger i linje med planens krav på fungerande offentlig kontroll av alla huvudmän och på ett skolval som bryter segregationen. Planen talar inte om dimensioneringslagstiftningen i sig.
- better matchingdecisive»Arbetsmarknaden behöver bli bättre på att matcha arbetsgivare och arbetstagare.« (party programme ↗)“The labour market needs to become better at matching employers and employees.”
- education according to labour needs»Yrkeshögskolan ska ge möjlighet till kvalificerade utbildningar inom områden där behovet av arbetskraft är stort.« (party programme ↗)“Vocational higher education shall provide access to qualified education in areas where the need for labour is great.”
- control of all providers»Alla skolor, oavsett huvudman, ska vara föremål för fungerande kontroll genom en stark offentlig inspektion.« (party programme ↗)“All schools, regardless of provider, shall be subject to functioning control through strong public inspection.”
- fair school choice»bryta skolsegregationen och göra skolvalet fritt och rättvist för alla« (2022 manifesto ↗)“break school segregation and make school choice free and fair for all”
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's bearing commitment is decentralisation: decisions should be made close to those affected, the regulatory frameworks should provide great freedom to solve the school's task locally and students' ability to freely choose education should be as large as possible.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's bearing commitment is decentralisation: decisions should be made close to those affected, the regulatory frameworks should provide great freedom to solve the school's task locally and students' ability to freely choose education should be as large as possible. Increased state governance and sizing of upper secondary school programmes goes in the opposite direction. The commitment that education should be based on the labour market's needs weighs against it.
Original (Swedish)
Planens bärande åtagande är decentralisering: beslut ska fattas nära dem som berörs, regelverken ska ge stor frihet att lösa skolans uppgift lokalt och elevernas möjlighet att fritt välja utbildning ska vara så stor som möjligt. Ökad statlig styrning och dimensionering av gymnasieprogrammen går i motsatt riktning. Åtagandet om att utbildningen ska utgå från arbetsmarknadens behov väger emot.
- decentraliserat beslutsfattandedecisive»Decentralisera mera. Människor ska få bestämma mer själva, och politiska beslut ska fattas nära dem som berörs.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Decentralise more. People should get to decide more for themselves, and political decisions should be made close to those affected.”
- fritt utbildningsval»Möjligheten för elever och studenter att fritt välja utbildning ska vara så stor som möjligt.« (party programme ↗)“Students' and pupils' ability to freely choose education should be as large as possible.”
- lokal frihet i skolan»Lagstiftning och regelverk måste erbjuda stor frihet« (party programme ↗)“Legislation and regulatory frameworks must offer great freedom”
- utbildning efter arbetsmarknadens behov»Utbildningssystemet behöver i betydligt större utsträckning utgå från arbetsmarknadens behov.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The education system needs to a much greater extent base itself on the labour market's needs.”
The plan wants the responsibility for public primary and secondary education to become state-run and that the state takes over responsibility from municipalities so that equality does not depend on where the pupil lives.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants the responsibility for public primary and secondary education to become state-run and that the state takes over responsibility from municipalities so that equality does not depend on where the pupil lives. It also requires that vocational education has close connection to the labour market. Increased state control of upper secondary school sizing, with both pupils' demand and labour market needs weighed in, therefore follows from the plan; school choice shall simultaneously be protected.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill att huvudmannaskapet för den offentliga grund- och gymnasieskolan blir statligt och att staten tar över ansvaret från kommunerna så att likvärdigheten inte beror på var eleven bor. Den kräver också att yrkesutbildningarna har nära anknytning till arbetsmarknaden. Ökad statlig styrning av gymnasiets dimensionering, med både elevernas efterfrågan och arbetsmarknadens behov vägda in, följer därför av planen; skolvalet ska samtidigt värnas.
- state responsibilitydecisive»Huvudmannaskapet för den offentliga grund- och gymnasieskolan ska därför vara statligt.« (party programme ↗)“Responsibility for public primary and secondary education should therefore be state-run.”
- stateified school for equality»Vi vill att staten tar över ansvaret från skolan från kommunerna så att alla elever får gå i bra skolor – inte bara de som råkar bo på rätt ställe.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want the state to take over responsibility for school from municipalities so that all pupils get good schools – not just those who happen to live in the right place.”
- labour market needs are weighed in»Yrkesutbildningarna ska ha nära anknytning till arbetsmarknaden och stärka elevens kontakter med arbetslivet.« (party programme ↗)“Vocational education shall have close connection to the labour market and strengthen pupils' contacts with working life.”
- protected school choice»Vi vill i stället stärka skolvalet genom att göra det obligatoriskt och samordnat, så att fler i stället för färre får välja vilken skola de vill gå i.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We instead want to strengthen school choice by making it mandatory and coordinated, so that more rather than fewer can choose which school they want to attend.”
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's commitment is that secondary school to a large extent shall be based on students' needs and interests and therefore be characterized by diversity, and that power shall lie at the right level according to the subsidiarity principle.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's commitment is that secondary school to a large extent shall be based on students' needs and interests and therefore be characterized by diversity, and that power shall lie at the right level according to the subsidiarity principle. The counter-proposal's requirements for increased state control and dimensioning of secondary school programmes and firmer frameworks for both public and private providers goes in the opposite direction. The plan also explicitly warns against the political system unnecessarily interfering.
Original (Swedish)
Planens åtagande är att gymnasieskolan i hög grad ska utgå från elevernas behov och intressen och därför präglas av mångfald, och att makten ska ligga på rätt nivå enligt subsidiaritetsprincipen. Motförslagets krav på ökad statlig styrning och dimensionering av gymnasiets program samt fastare ramar för både offentliga och enskilda huvudmän går i motsatt riktning. Planen varnar också uttryckligen för att politiken lägger sig i i onödan.
- secondary school according to student needsdecisive»Gymnasieskolan ska i hög grad utgå från elevernas« (party programme ↗)“Secondary school shall to a large extent be based on students'”
- right power at the right place»Rätt makt på rätt plats, det är den kristdemokratiska« (party programme ↗)“Right power at the right place, that is the Christian Democratic”
- political restraint»Politiker måste motstå frestelsen att i onödan« (party programme ↗)“Politicians must resist the temptation to unnecessarily”
- broad educational offer»Ett brett spektrum av både teoretiska och praktiska utbildningar ska erbjudas eleverna.« (party programme ↗)“A broad spectrum of both theoretical and practical education shall be offered to students.”
The plan explicitly commits to national coordination of society's need for the number of study places and clearer state governance in school, with the justification that competence provision must become better.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly commits to national coordination of society's need for the number of study places and clearer state governance in school, with the justification that competence provision must become better. The counter-proposal's demand for monitoring of dimensioning legislation and increased state governance of high school programs is the same thing in substance. The plan at the same time values free choice, which qualifies but does not nullify the support.
Original (Swedish)
Planen åtar sig uttryckligen en nationell samordning över samhällets behov av antalet utbildningsplatser och en tydligare statlig styrning inom skolan, med motiveringen att kompetensförsörjningen måste bli bättre. Motförslagets krav på uppföljning av dimensioneringslagstiftningen och på ökad statlig styrning av gymnasieprogrammen är samma sak i sak. Planen värnar samtidigt det fria valet, vilket kvalificerar men inte upphäver stödet.
- national coordination of study placesdecisive»Få på plats en nationell samordning över samhällets behov av antalet utbildningsplatser för att förbättra kompetensförsörjningen« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Put in place national coordination of society's need for the number of study places to improve competence provision”
- clearer state governance»Öka likvärdigheten genom att införa ett gemensamt kommunalt kösystem och en tydligare statlig styrning av skolpengen« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Increase equality by introducing a common municipal queue system and clearer state governance of school funds”
- better competence provision»Kompetensförsörjningen på svensk arbetsmarknad måste bli bättre.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Competence provision on the Swedish labor market must become better.”
- free school choice»Det fria skolvalet gör att alla barn oavsett bakgrund och ekonomi kan välja den skola som passar dem bäst.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Free school choice means that all children regardless of background and economy can choose the school that suits them best.”
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 election manifesto requires that education is adapted more to the needs of the labour market and that training follows the needs that exist there, which is precisely what the competence gap that the counter-proposal wants to address is all about.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto requires that education is adapted more to the needs of the labour market and that training follows the needs that exist there, which is precisely what the competence gap that the counter-proposal wants to address is all about. The party programme furthermore advocates that the state takes back the main responsibility for schools to guarantee equivalence, which bears the requirement for increased state control of dimensioning. The plan's protection of free school choice is a limit to how far control can go, but does not cancel the support.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet kräver att utbildningsväsendet i högre grad anpassas efter arbetsmarknadens behov och att man utbildar efter de behov som finns där, vilket är precis det kompetensgap motförslaget vill åtgärda. Partiprogrammet förespråkar dessutom att staten återtar huvudmannaskapet för skolan för att garantera likvärdighet, vilket bär kravet på ökad statlig styrning av dimensioneringen. Planens värn om det fria skolvalet är en gräns för hur långt styrningen får gå, men upphäver inte stödet.
- education according to the labour marketdecisive»Utbildningsväsendet och integrationsprogram måste också i högre grad anpassas efter arbetsmarknadens behov.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The education system and integration programmes must also be adapted more to the needs of the labour market.”
- state main responsibility»Sverigedemokraterna förespråkar att staten återtar huvudmannaskapet« (party programme ↗)“Sweden Democrats advocate that the state takes back the main responsibility”
- dimensioning according to needs»Utbilda efter de behov som finns på arbetsmarknaden« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Educate according to the needs that exist on the labour market”
- free school choice»Det fria skolvalet ska värnas för att ge valfrihet åt föräldrar och elever.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Free school choice should be protected to give choice to parents and pupils.”
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 (2024/25:UbU12)
- Committee report full text (HC01UbU12)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2024/25:1060 — Möjlighet för samtliga elever att driva ett UF-företag under sin gymnasietid av Christofer Bergenblock (C)
- Motion 2024/25:1130 — Det behövs mer privatekonomi av Alexandra Anstrell (M)
- Motion 2024/25:1132 — Idrottssveriges möjligheter att bedriva elitverksamhet för ungdomar av Alexandra Anstrell m.fl. (M)
- Motion 2024/25:1342 — Framtidens e-sport av Michael Rubbestad m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1381 — Överskuldsättning av Mikael Eskilandersson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1395 — Jordbruk - ökad konkurrenskraft utan förlust av biologisk mångfald av Martin Kinnunen m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1446 — En gymnasieskola och vuxenutbildning i världsklass av Patrick Reslow m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1447 — En grundskola i världsklass av Patrick Reslow m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1464 — En tillväxtorienterad politik för industrilandet Sverige av Tobias Andersson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1479 — Sprid kunskap med hjälp av de bästa pedagogerna av Helena Gellerman (L)
- Motion 2024/25:148 — Arbetsmarknadskunskap i gymnasieskolan av Eva Lindh (S)
- Motion 2024/25:1536 — Ansvarsfull ekonomi som ett ämne i skolan för elever i högstadiet och gymnasiet av Marléne Lund Kopparklint och Jennie Wernäng (båda M)
- Motion 2024/25:1705 — Bättre arbetsmiljö av Carina Ödebrink och Azra Muranovic (båda S)
- Motion 2024/25:1830 — Ökad kunskap inom ekonomi på högstadiet av Jennie Wernäng och Marléne Lund Kopparklint (båda M)
- Motion 2024/25:1841 — Översyn av elitidrottares gymnasieutbildningar av Kristina Axén Olin m.fl. (M)
- Motion 2024/25:1856 — Återinförande av estetiska ämnen i gymnasieskolan av Kristina Axén Olin m.fl. (M)
- Motion 2024/25:2079 — Ofrivillig barnlöshet och ytterligare IVF-försök av Camilla Brodin och Christian Carlsson (båda KD)
- Motion 2024/25:2218 — Yrkesutbildning för fler av Johanna Rantsi och Sten Bergheden (båda M)
- Motion 2024/25:2221 — Företagsamhet och entreprenörskap i gymnasieskolan av Johanna Rantsi (M)
- Motion 2024/25:2377 — Drogtester i skolor av Arin Karapet (M)
Source: The Swedish Parliament