The Rise of Supplementary Education in Sweden: Arguments, Thought Styles, and Policy Enactment

Abstract

Purpose: This article focuses on the development of supplementary education, evolving under the label “homework support,” in Sweden between 2006 and 2018. Particular attention is paid to the significance of the private market for national policy. Design/Approach/Methods: Through a theoretical model on policy enactment, the interaction between national policy and local practice is highlighted. By analyzing how the local practice appears in documents related to state-regulated decision-making, the study gains further insights in the development of homework support in Sweden. Findings: This article argues that when private companies, offering supplementary tutoring, were established on the outskirts of the educational landscape in Sweden, the political educational discourse changed. Even though homework support became a given part of the political discussion about the school, the situation became difficult for private companies. Originality/Value: The article adds to the international field of shadow education. It describes the establishment of the private tutoring market’s entry into the Swedish educational landscape, which in the long term has provided a basis for a further Scandinavian development. Furthermore, the article contributes to theory development by a model that focuses on the interaction between policy formulation and local enactment.

Shadow Education in the Nordic Countries: An Emerging Phenomenon in Comparative Perspective

“…Two articles are dedicated to the case of Sweden-the "first mover" in terms of shadow education in the Nordic context. Hallsén (2021) shows how supplementary tutoring in Sweden has been shaped by the interplay between national policies and local practices. In 2007, the Swedish government introduced a tax-deduction scheme, which spurred the emergence of a commercial market for private tutoring.…”

Should Shadow Education Stay as a Shadow or Exist as Co-curricula Alongside Mainstream Education?

“…Their main objectives include summarized and revised academic content from mainstream school curriculum; providing further knowledge; and recommending techniques for exams or skills to improve academic performances (Lao, 2014) or shortcut techniques (Charoenkul, 2018). Hallsen (2020) studied supplementary education in Sweden, finding that the government's promotion of traditional education cooperating with private tutoring helps to address the increasing achievement gaps between different identified groups of students. All the policies and collaborations among government, schools, and private tutoring serve certain common goals: increasing students' achievements and labor employment.…”

“…Policymakers should implement standardized evaluation and measurements for all shadow education services. The study in Sweden by Hallsen (2020) explains how to incorporate both shadow and mainstream education together. With government subsidies successfully improving the overall education system, policymakers can use this as a reference for cross-integration.…”

Läxhjälp as Shadow Education in Sweden: The Logic of Equality in “A School for All”

“…The policy process is understood as discourse and the analysis is focused on how the framing of the problem shapes possible responses (Bacchi, 2009;Hastings, 1998). This is further elaborated in Hallsén (2020) in this special issue (see also . To contextualize the reformation of supplementary tutoring, we employ research on governing and evaluation of the Swedish education system.…”