Newcomers need better roads in secondary schools – Mynewsdesk (press release)

Municipalities and schools have been difficult to keep expanding the high school program, language introduction as the number of students increases. It is difficult to find premises and to recruit teachers and counselors. A new report from the National Agency also shows that only one in three pupils moved on to a national high school three years after they started on language introduction.

– There is obvious need to develop language introduction and how newcomers should be introduced to Swedish upper secondary education. A complete high school education is very important to get a job or go on to higher education, says Thomas Furusten, director of education at the National Agency.

Many people find it difficult to get complete secondary school

Language Introduction is an introduction program in high school that caters to students who need to learn Swedish to move on to another program in secondary schools or other training. Only about 30 percent of the students have gone on to a national program in upper secondary school, three years after they started on language introduction and about 15 percent of the students have gone on to another introductory program. Of those who started language introduction in 2011, only nine per cent completed a national program in upper secondary school four years later.

– Students who come to Sweden when they are in secondary school age have been difficult to find time to go further in secondary school before the age of 20 years as the age limit to start secondary school. A large part of the students seem to fall out of the system and the risk of not achieving a complete high school education, says Thomas Furusten.

Need for Development

The report shows that there is a great need to recruit and train teachers to teach the language introduction. It can also involve putting in other skills than pedagogically trained staff and to create better opportunities to use the remote teaching. One area that also needs to be developed is the schools ‘ability to make early assessments of students’ knowledge and development.

– You need contributions from municipalities, schools and the state. It is location to quickly and effectively develop measures to get young newcomers to education and work. Maybe does not fit these measures in the current system, says Eva Durhan, head of the National Agency research department.

More about language introduction

Language Introduction is one of five introductory programs for students who is not authorized to national programs. One aim is that students should be eligible for any of the 18 national programs. Total is currently 18,700 students in language introduction. This is an increase of 34 percent compared to last school year.

Contacts

Eva Durhan, head of analysis department 08-527335 25

for questions about this report, please contact Thomas Furusten, project 08-527336 93

for facts about language introduction contact Counsellor Cristina Pontis 08-527334 74

the Agency’s administrative authority of the school, preschool, certain specific forms of education and other educational activities. The Authority shall promote that all children and students have access to an education and activities that are comparable and of good quality in a safe environment. The Agency should contribute to favorable conditions for children’s development and learning, and improved learning outcomes for students.