In 2023, the Swedish government announced that the country’s schools would be going back to basics, emphasizing skills such as reading and writing, particularly in early grades. After mostly being sidelined, physical books are now being reintroduced into classrooms, and students are learning to write the old-fashioned way: by hand, with a pencil or pen, on sheets of paper. The Swedish government also plans to make schools cellphone-free throughout the country. Educational authorities have been investing heavily. Last year alone, the education ministry allocated $83 million to purchase textbooks and teachers’ guides. In a country with about 11 million people, the aim is for every student to have a physical textbook for each subject. The government also put $54 million towards the purchase of fiction and non-fiction books for students. The decision to reinvest in physical textbooks and reduce the emphasis on digital devices was prompted by several factors. Sweden had positioned itself as a frontrunner in digital education, but over time concerns emerged about screen time, distraction, reduced deep reading, and the erosion of foundational skills such as sustained attention and handwriting. They came to the conclusion that basic skills — especially reading, writing and arithmetic — must be firmly established, and that physical textbooks are better suited for that purpose. Swedish officials emphasize that digital technology isn’t being removed from schools altogether. Rather, digital aids should only be introduced in teaching at an age when they encourage students’ learning. Whether the U.S. will follow Sweden’s path remains to be seen.
