Press release 27 May 2008
Ministry of Education and Research

Registration and stricter qualifying rules

Today the Inquiry Chair appointed by the Government, Jörgen Ullenhag, delivered the report of the Inquiry on Teachers' Qualifications and Authorisation, Registration and stricter qualifying rules (Swedish Government Official Reports 2008:52), to Minister for Education Jan Björklund. The purpose of the Inquiry's proposals is to raise the level of skills among teachers and preschool teachers so as to improve the quality of educational services. The same rules are to apply irrespective of the type of school and its organiser.

"Scotland has a successful system for ensuring that teachers have appropriate skills and encouraging their continuing professional development. The system I propose, including registration, advanced professional levels and stricter qualifying rules, largely corresponds to the Scottish system," says Jörgen Ullenhag.

Registration of teachers

Under the Inquiry's proposals, to qualify to teach at a school a teacher will need registration with a specialisation in the type of teaching concerned. Exemptions will only be allowed if there is a shortage of qualified teachers or on exceptional grounds. A decision to allow an exemption is to be taken by the school board and will be valid for at most one year at a time.

Under the Inquiry's proposals, registration will also be required for a teacher to give grades independently and to be a mentor to new teachers during their probationary year. Further, only registered teachers will be eligible for permanent employment.

Registration of preschool teachers

Under the Inquiry's proposal, registration as a preschool teacher will be required to take responsibility for teaching activities in a preschool children's group. Exemptions from this requirement may be granted by the school board but only if there is a shortage of qualified preschool teachers or on exceptional grounds. Such exemption decisions will be valid for at most one year at a time. Only registered preschool teachers will be eligible for permanent employment. Registration will also be required to be a mentor to new preschool teachers during their probationary year.

Registration requirements

The Inquiry proposes that the National Agency for Education take decisions on registration of teachers and preschool teachers. Registration will require a degree in education or in preschool education and a successfully completed probationary year. Teachers and preschool teachers who have already taken their degree and have been professionally active for at least two years since the year 2000 will be granted registration upon application without a probationary year being required.

If a teacher or preschool teacher seriously neglects their work, their registration may be withdrawn. Under the Inquiry's proposals, such decisions will be taken by a special committee - the Teachers' Disciplinary Board - under the National Agency for Education.

Probationary year

The probationary year will serve two purposes: to give the new teacher/preschool teacher a good introduction to the profession and to assess whether he or she is suitable for the profession. During their probationary year, new teachers are to have the support and assistance of a mentor and the new teacher and mentor are to have time specially set aside for introduction to the profession. Under the Inquiry's proposals, the State will compensate school organisers by paying 10 per cent of the teacher's/preschool teacher's salary costs and 5 per cent of the mentor's salary costs.

Advanced professional levels

To encourage continuing professional development, the Inquiry proposes the introduction of advanced professional levels for teachers and preschool teachers. After four years of positively assessed service, a teacher will be eligible for appointment as a specially qualified teacher, provided he or she has also undertaken a well-documented practical educational teaching development work or has taken a licentiate degree or equivalent qualification. A preschool teacher will similarly be eligible for appointment as a specially qualified preschool teacher. Upper secondary school teachers who teach in subjects with a mainly theoretical focus and who have taken a doctorate will be eligible for appointment as upper secondary school lecturers. School organisers are expected to make use of the skills possessed by specially qualified teachers/preschool teachers and upper secondary school lecturers.

Clearer and stricter qualifying rules

A teacher's registration must clearly show in which types of school, which subjects and which years he or she is qualified to teach. The National Agency for Education will determine that a teacher is qualified on the basis of the teacher's education. Compared with the present situation, the Inquiry's proposals will mean increased clarity about what education is required to be qualified for a certain type of teaching. Increased knowledge of the subjects concerned will also be required.

The Inquiry's proposals for new qualifying rules will mean that:

• To teach in years 7-9 of compulsory school, a degree in education will be required with 90 higher education credits in one teaching subject and 60 higher education credits in other teaching subjects.
• To teach subjects with a mainly theoretical focus in upper secondary school, a degree in education will be required with 120 higher education credits in one teaching subject and 90 higher education credits in other teaching subjects.
• To teach in special school, school for children with learning disabilities and upper secondary school for individuals with learning disabilities, a relevant degree in education will be required together with a degree in special education.

Exemption and continuing professional development for certain groups

Under the Inquiry's proposals, after a transitional period of eight years prechool teachers in preschool classes or permanently employed teachers without a degree in education will no longer be qualified to teach. During this transitional period, those who wish to do so will be given the opportunity to take a degree in education so as to be eligible for registration.

Introduction and costs

Under the proposals, the system of teacher registration and preschool teacher registration will enter into force in two stages in 2010. Professional teachers and preschool teachers will be able to obtain registration from 1 January 2010. From 1 July 2010, registration as a teacher will be required to teach in school and registration as a preschool teacher will be required to be responsible for teaching activities in a children's group in preschool. The Inquiry estimates that the reform will cost the State SEK 782 million per year for the first eight years. After that it is estimated that the costs will decrease to SEK 725 million per year, as the skills drive for preschool teachers in preschool classes and permanently employed teachers without a degree in education will then have been completed.