2024-02-282023/24:UbU12 · p.7UbUEducation
Aesthetic subjects
Arts subjects in national upper-secondary programmes
What's at stake: Proponents argue that arts subjects can strengthen learning, creativity and critical thinking, and give pupils from homes less familiar with further study access to art and culture. The outcome therefore affects what content is guaranteed to all upper-secondary pupils regardless of programme, and how much room arts subjects are given relative to other subjects.
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 arts subjects should be reintroduced as a compulsory element on all national upper-secondary programmes, or whether the current arrangement - where arts subjects are offered as an elective - should remain unchanged.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee notes that parliament has previously rejected both a government proposal and later motions to make arts subjects compulsory on all national programmes, and reaches no different conclusion now. The committee notes that courses in arts subjects are already always offered as an elective, and on that basis rejects the motions calling for the subjects to be reintroduced as a requirement.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 7 (S, V, MP)
The reservation (S, V, MP) calls for arts subjects to be reintroduced on all national upper-secondary programmes to strengthen the broader educational mission of upper-secondary school. The reasoning is that art and culture provide ways to understand the world and work creatively, that teaching with artistic and creative elements can improve learning and critical thinking, and that it can also help reduce stress and foster a more positive attitude to school - not least for pupils from homes less familiar with further study.
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 7 by S, V, 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 | No 0/19/0/5 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| S | No | No 0/92/0/14 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| MP | No | No 0/15/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
| C | Yes | Yes 19/0/0/5 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| L | No | Yes 12/0/0/4 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| KD | No | Yes 16/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| M | Yes | Yes 59/0/0/9 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| SD | Yes | Yes 61/0/0/11 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects the motions 2023/24:1034 by Anna Wallentheim (S), 2023/24:2447 by Amanda Lind et al. (MP) claim 10 and 2023/24:2687 by Åsa Westlund et al. (S) claim 41.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2023/24:1034 av Anna Wallentheim (S), 2023/24:2447 av Amanda Lind m.fl. (MP) yrkande 10 och 2023/24:2687 av Åsa Westlund m.fl. (S) yrkande 41.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag rejected 57 motions about upper secondary school from the regular motion period 2023. The motions deal, among other things, with education in upper secondary school as well as with study and career guidance and drug testing in the school system. The Riksdag refers, among other things, to ongoing investigations.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants the state to increase its steering of secondary education dimensioning to ensure education matches labor market needs. (S, V, MP) — Reservation 7
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 establishes that everyone shall have the same right and opportunity to practice culture and take part in cultural life, and the policy platform sees culture as part of welfare that can counteract segregation and class divisions.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme establishes that everyone shall have the same right and opportunity to practice culture and take part in cultural life, and the policy platform sees culture as part of welfare that can counteract segregation and class divisions. Mandatory aesthetic subjects on all national programmes gives that equal access in upper secondary school, unlike voluntary individual choice.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att alla ska ha samma rätt och möjlighet att utöva kultur och ta del av kulturlivet, och valplattformen ser kulturen som en del av välfärden som kan motverka segregation och klasskillnader. Obligatoriska estetiska ämnen på alla nationella program ger den likvärdiga tillgången i gymnasieskolan, till skillnad från frivilligt individuellt val.
- equal right to culturedecisive»Alla ska ha samma rätt och möjlighet att utöva kultur och att ta del« (party programme ↗)“Everyone shall have the same right and opportunity to practice culture and to take part”
- culture as welfare»Kulturen spelar en viktig roll och är en del av välfärden.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Culture plays an important role and is part of welfare.”
- culture against class divisions»Kulturen kan spegla samhället, motverka segregation och klasskillnader.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Culture can reflect society, counteract segregation and class divisions.”
- culture's educational value»Kultur som konst, musik och film bidrar till att skapa ett rikare samhälle att leva i för alla.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Culture such as art, music and film contributes to creating a richer society to live in for everyone.”
The plan wishes to create a knowledge society built on both education and learning, and sees knowledge and culture as tools for people's freedom and development.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wishes to create a knowledge society built on both education and learning, and sees knowledge and culture as tools for people's freedom and development. That aesthetic subjects are reintroduced in all national upper secondary programmes strengthens precisely the education mission, in line with the plan's initiatives that all children regardless of background shall reach cultural forms of expression. The upper secondary school's subject set is not addressed explicitly.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill skapa ett kunskapssamhälle byggt på både bildning och utbildning, och ser kunskap och kultur som verktyg för människors frihet och utveckling. Att återinföra estetiska ämnen på alla nationella gymnasieprogram förstärker just bildningsuppdraget, i linje med planens satsningar på att alla barn oavsett bakgrund ska nå kulturella uttrycksformer. Gymnasiets ämnesuppsättning behandlas inte uttryckligen.
- education and learningdecisive»Socialdemokratin vill skapa ett verkligt kunskapssamhälle, byggt på både bildning och« (party programme ↗)“Social Democrats wish to create a genuine knowledge society, built on both education and”
- culture liberates»Kunskap och kultur är verktyg för människors personliga frihet och utveckling.« (party programme ↗)“Knowledge and culture are tools for people's personal freedom and development.”
- all children's access to culture»Vi vill stärka kulturskolan för att säkra alla barns möjligheter till kulturella aktiviteter, och genomföra särskilda satsningar i resurssvaga områden.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We wish to strengthen the culture school to ensure all children's opportunities for cultural activities, and conduct particular initiatives in resource-poor areas.”
The election manifesto explicitly demands aesthetic subjects in all upper secondary programmes, which is exactly what the counter-proposal asks for.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto explicitly demands aesthetic subjects in all upper secondary programmes, which is exactly what the counter-proposal asks for. The party programme justifies this by saying that aesthetic and creative activities are needed for the whole person to develop. The plan therefore supports the demand.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet kräver uttryckligen estetiska ämnen i alla gymnasieprogram, vilket är exakt det motförslaget begär. Partiprogrammet motiverar detta med att estetisk och skapande verksamhet behövs för att hela människan ska utvecklas. Planen stöder därför kravet.
- aesthetic subjects in all programmesdecisive»satsa på barns kultur i skolan, med utbildad personal på alla skolbibliotek och estetiska ämnen i alla gymnasieprogram.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“invest in children's culture in schools, with trained staff at all school libraries and aesthetic subjects in all upper secondary programmes.”
- creativity for the whole person»Estetisk och skapande verksamhet är liksom motion och rörelse viktigt för att hela människan ska utvecklas.« (party programme ↗)“Aesthetic and creative activity is, like exercise and movement, important for the whole person to develop.”
- critical thinking in schools»Etiska diskussioner och övning i kritiskt tänkande är viktiga inslag i undervisningen« (party programme ↗)“Ethical discussions and practice in critical thinking are important elements of teaching”
- strengthened cultural education»stärka kulturskolan och inrätta en kulturskolelag.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“strengthen culture education in schools and establish a culture school law.”
The manifesto establishes that upper secondary school should be adapted based on individual students' needs and that the opportunity to freely choose education should be as large as possible, while the election manifesto wants education to be more based on labor market needs.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The manifesto establishes that upper secondary school should be adapted based on individual students' needs and that the opportunity to freely choose education should be as large as possible, while the election manifesto wants education to be more based on labor market needs. Making aesthetic subjects mandatory in all national programs reduces precisely that free choice. The plan values education highly, but not as mandatory course content.
Original (Swedish)
Idéprogrammet slår fast att gymnasieskolan ska anpassas utifrån de enskilda studenternas behov och att möjligheten att fritt välja utbildning ska vara så stor som möjligt, medan valmanifestet vill att utbildningen i högre grad utgår från arbetsmarknadens behov. Att göra estetiska ämnen obligatoriska på samtliga nationella program minskar just det fria valet. Planen värderar bildning högt, men inte som tvingande kursinnehåll.
- greatest possible freedom of choicedecisive»Möjligheten för elever och studenter att fritt välja utbildning ska vara så stor som möjligt.« (party programme ↗)“The opportunity for students to freely choose education should be as large as possible.”
- individually adapted upper secondary school»Gymnasieskolan ska utgå från det livslånga lärandet och anpassas utifrån de enskilda studenternas behov« (party programme ↗)“Upper secondary school should be based on lifelong learning and adapted based on individual students' needs”
- education based on labor market needs»Utbildningssystemet behöver i betydligt större utsträckning utgå från arbetsmarknadens behov.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The education system needs to be based to a much greater extent on labor market needs.”
- education's democratic value»Även bildning i bred mening, från förskolan till universiteten till den livslånga folkbildningen, är en bärande del av det demokratiska projektet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Education in a broad sense, from preschool to universities to lifelong adult education, is also a central part of the democratic project.”
The plan keeps the educational tradition alive, wants all students to read Swedish and international classics, and that reading is highly prioritized in all stages of school.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan keeps the educational tradition alive, wants all students to read Swedish and international classics, and that reading is highly prioritized in all stages of school. Strengthening upper secondary school's educational mission through aesthetic subjects is in line with this. At the same time, the plan wants curricula to receive greater focus on facts and knowledge, which makes the support weaker and the position derived.
Original (Swedish)
Planen håller bildningstraditionen levande, vill att alla elever läser svenska och internationella klassiker och att läsandet är högt prioriterat i skolans alla stadier. Att stärka gymnasieskolans bildningsuppdrag genom estetiska ämnen ligger i linje med detta. Samtidigt vill planen att läroplanerna får större fokus på fakta och kunskap, vilket gör stödet svagare och ställningstagandet härlett.
- educational mission in schooldecisive»Alla barn och elever ska få läsa både svenska och internationella skönlitterära klassiker i skolan.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“All children and students shall read both Swedish and international literary classics in school.”
- living educational tradition»Sverige har en stark bildningstradition som måste hållas levande.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden has a strong educational tradition that must be kept alive.”
- prioritized reading»Läsandet ska vara högt prioriterat i skolans alla stadier.« (party programme ↗)“Reading shall be highly prioritized in all stages of school.”
- focus on facts and knowledge»Läroplanerna ska revideras och få ett större fokus på fakta och kunskap.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Curricula shall be revised and receive greater focus on facts and knowledge.”
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 gives culture a unique intrinsic value that must not be confined to a limited sphere, and wants space to be given to practical and aesthetic subjects for comprehensive and creative personal development.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan gives culture a unique intrinsic value that must not be confined to a limited sphere, and wants space to be given to practical and aesthetic subjects for comprehensive and creative personal development. This speaks in favour of the counter-proposal's demand for aesthetic subjects in secondary school. At the same time, the plan wants secondary school to be characterized by diversity and students' interests, which makes the conclusion uncertain.
Original (Swedish)
Planen ger kulturen ett unikt egenvärde som inte får begränsas till en avgränsad sfär, och vill att utrymme ges åt praktiska och estetiska ämnen för en allsidig och kreativ personlighetsutveckling. Det talar för motförslagets krav på estetiska ämnen i gymnasiet. Samtidigt vill planen att gymnasiet präglas av mångfald och elevernas intressen, vilket gör slutsatsen osäker.
- culture's intrinsic valuedecisive»Kulturen hjälper oss att bli hela som« (party programme ↗)“Culture helps us become whole as”
- aesthetic subjects in schools»som bidrar till en allsidig och kreativ personlighetsutveckling.« (party programme ↗)“which contributes to comprehensive and creative personal development.”
- secondary school is based on students»Gymnasieskolan ska i hög grad utgå från elevernas« (party programme ↗)“Secondary school should to a large extent be based on 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.
The plan's school line is focus on measurable factual knowledge and clear knowledge requirements, and that upper secondary vocational education shall have content that is relevant and in demand on the labour market.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's school line is focus on measurable factual knowledge and clear knowledge requirements, and that upper secondary vocational education shall have content that is relevant and in demand on the labour market. Making aesthetic subjects mandatory on all national programmes takes time from this core task. The plan contains no commitment to a broader educational mandate of the kind the counter-proposal requires.
Original (Swedish)
Planens skollinje är fokus på mätbara faktakunskaper och tydliga kunskapskrav, och att gymnasiets yrkesutbildningar ska ha ett innehåll som är relevant och eftertraktat på arbetsmarknaden. Att göra estetiska ämnen obligatoriska på samtliga nationella program tar tid från detta huvuduppdrag. Planen innehåller inget åtagande om ett bredare bildningsuppdrag av det slag motförslaget kräver.
- focus on factual knowledgedecisive»Fokusera på mätbara faktakunskaper, med inspiration från Finlands läroplan« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Focus on measurable factual knowledge, with inspiration from Finland's curriculum”
- labour-market-relevant content»De gymnasiala yrkesutbildningarna och vuxenutbildningarna i Sverige måste få ett innehåll som är relevant och eftertraktat.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden's upper secondary vocational education and adult education must have content that is relevant and in demand.”
- clear knowledge requirements»Den svenska skolan ska ställa tydliga kunskapskrav och« (party programme ↗)“The Swedish school shall set clear knowledge requirements and”
- knowledge is the core task»skolans förmåga att klara sitt huvuduppdrag att förmedla« (party programme ↗)“the school's ability to fulfil its core mandate to impart”
The plan's line for upper secondary school is knowledge focus, clearer learning objectives and faster paths to work through two-year practical education.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's line for upper secondary school is knowledge focus, clearer learning objectives and faster paths to work through two-year practical education. Making aesthetic subjects mandatory on all national programmes takes space from precisely the vocational-preparatory content the plan prioritizes. The plan gives no support for new mandatory subjects and therefore speaks against the counter-proposal.
Original (Swedish)
Planens linje för gymnasiet är kunskapsfokus, tydligare kunskapsmål och snabbare vägar till arbete genom tvååriga praktiska utbildningar. Att göra estetiska ämnen obligatoriska på samtliga nationella program tar utrymme från just det yrkesförberedande innehåll planen prioriterar. Planen ger inget stöd för nya obligatoriska ämnen och talar därför emot motförslaget.
- snabbare vägar till arbetedecisive»Tvååriga praktiska gymnasieutbildningar ska införas för att ge snabbare vägar in på arbetsmarknaden.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Two-year practical upper secondary education shall be introduced to provide faster paths into the labour market.”
- kunskapsfokuserad skola»Återupprätta en kunskapsfokuserad skola genom beprövad pedagogik och fokus på traditionellt lärande med lika villkor på alla skolor« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Restore a knowledge-focused school through proven pedagogy and focus on traditional learning with equal conditions on all schools”
- tydligare kunskapsmål»Läroplaner ska kompletteras med tydligare kunskapsmål.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Curricula shall be supplemented with clearer learning objectives.”
- yrkesförberedande innehåll»Ge alla grunden till ett yrke som efterfrågas på arbetsmarknaden« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Give everyone the foundation for a profession that is in demand on the labour market”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2023/24:UbU12)
- Committee report full text (HB01UbU12)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2023/24:1034 — Återinförande av estetiska ämnen på gymnasiet av Anna Wallentheim (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1040 — Bättre arbetsmiljö av Carina Ödebrink och Azra Muranovic (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:119 — Totalförsvarskunskap i skolan av Eric Palmqvist (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1223 — Utbildning för arbete av Martina Johansson (C)
- Motion 2023/24:1461 — Bättre matchning inför framtida yrkesval av Markus Wiechel och Alexander Christiansson (båda SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1462 — En samhällsförberedande skola av Markus Wiechel och Alexander Christiansson (båda SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1570 — Om stärkt trygghet för företagare av Mathias Tegnér och Jennie Nilsson (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:1800 — Kortare tillståndsprocesser för nya gymnasiekurser av Lili André (KD)
- Motion 2023/24:1804 — Ung Företagsamhet i alla gymnasieutbildningar av Lili André (KD)
- Motion 2023/24:2095 — Drogtester i skolan för att motverka missbruk av Roger Hedlund och Mattias Eriksson Falk (båda SD)
- Motion 2023/24:2117 — Främjat entreprenörskap i grundskolan av Saila Quicklund (M)
- Motion 2023/24:2194 — Underlätta för ungdomar att få jobb och bostad av Sten Bergheden (M)
- Motion 2023/24:2302 — Hantverkare för att bidra i en cirkulär ekonomi av Ann-Sofie Lifvenhage (M)
- Motion 2023/24:2305 — Företagsamhet och entreprenörskap för alla elever av Johanna Rantsi (M)
- Motion 2023/24:2447 — Barns och ungas tillgång till kultur av Amanda Lind m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:2451 — Utbildning och forskning för ett hållbart samhälle av Camilla Hansén m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:2454 — Utbildning och forskning - för en stark kunskapsnation av Anders Ådahl m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2023/24:2482 — En skola för livsresor av Muharrem Demirok m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2023/24:2489 — Utbildning för livslångt lärande av Niels Paarup-Petersen m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2023/24:254 — En konkurrenskraftig och säker taxibransch i Sverige av Serkan Köse (S)
Source: The Swedish Parliament