Sweden cracks down on religious influences in schools
STOCKHOLM (AFP) — The Swedish government on Monday presented a series of proposals banning public and independent schools from introducing religious elements into their classes except during religion lessons.
Religious elements "can take place ... but only outside of coursework. Teaching should not be influenced" by religious beliefs, Swedish Education Minister Jan Bjoerklund told reporters.
He said religion could still be studied at school as a separate subject but other classes could in no way be influenced by religious convictions.
For example, the origin of human life would have to be explained from a scientific point of view and not a religious one, he said.
The Swedish government also plans to allocate additional funds to carry out controls on schools, sometimes unannounced.
The measures presented Monday would be included in new education legislation which is to be presented to parliament for a vote.
They would apply to public schools as well as independent schools, which also receive funding from the state. Private schools are exempt.
Sweden has some 800 independent schools, both primary and secondary. According to the Dagens Nyheter newspaper, about 10 percent of these schools have a religious profile.
Bjoerklund said the initiative would help improve transparency about the financing of these schools.
He cited the case of an independent Muslim school that had received financial aid from a fundamentalist Islamic organisation in Saudi Arabia.
