Concluding Reflections
In the introduction we asked what has become of
the vision of a school for all in Sweden. We also looked back and asked what
the practical implications of the school for all vision really were. Did it
ever become realised or was it just political rhetoric? Does the moral ideal of
democracy which is salient in a school for all, still underpins the educational
policy, and can one conclude that educational practice in the 2010th
decade apprehends students’ diversity as an asset in teaching and that it is
important that students participate and learn in school out from their own
conditions? Finally we asked if it could be stated that a school for all still
holds true but is instead fulfilled through strengthening the rights of each
child in school.
The
historical review demonstrates that the idea of a nationwide school system for
all has roots far back in the 17th century and that steps were taken
at points, e.g. 1649 with the proposal of a three level school system and 1842
with the folk-school reform, but that it was not until the 1960s and the
economic upswing after world war II that it became possible to finance an
expansion that included all children and thus also the building of new school
houses and other supporting resources. After world war II the moral ideal of
democracy was in focus and although the different political parties had not at
all been in agreement in the preparatory work of the comprehensive school
reform they after its decision became almost strangely devoted to the ideal of
a school for all which should foster the students into democratic citizenship
and give them a better life. This is, we argue, the manifest result of the
school for all vision the creation of a nationwide school system on the
foundation of equity and democracy. Every child has today access to this system
and the great majority of students like it in schools and they think that they learn
there and get relevant support from their teachers. And furthermore almost
every child belongs to the system of primary and secondary schools, very few
per cents reside in special schools.
