August 1844

The first schools in Sweden was believed to have been established in Sigtuna in 1617 followed shortly another in Sundbyholm in 1629 by wealthy aristocrats. Shortly thereafter in 1640 the parliament decreed that all cities were to build schools to teach children how to read, write and count. The will to educate the masses would soon spread out to the countryside as priests were ordered in 1686 to travel around their parish to teach children and youths to read and interpret Christian texts from the bible.

Although well meant, this system could only reach so many and the desired effect was not achieved. To help the priests educate the masses it was decided in 1762 that schoolmasters would be hired to travel around the parishes to locations where the priests only seldom could visit, this also relieved the duties of the priest somewhat. By the end of the 18th century there were 150 schools in Sweden teaching children how to read, write and count.

However, development was slow. By 1814 there was only 1.009 schools in Swedens 2.308 parishes, meaning that 1.211 parishes were unable to properly educate their inhabitants. Each school had hired one teacher who were helped by 900 traveling teachers who made way to parishes without schools. Only Visby stift on Gotland provided one school for each of its 92 parishes whilst other more populated areas like Lindköping stift only had 40 schools and 11 mobile schools for its 214 parishes. A more normal situation would be like in Växsjö stift where only 10 schools and 6 mobile schools were present for its 187 parishes.

The situation would be agitated with the expansion of Finland where an additional 384 parishes were in need of schools. Their system still mainly relied on mobile schools, Kiertokoulu. Norway had since 1739 established a school commission in every city and parish, Allmäna skolan, to teach reading, writing and counting.

All three systems were very similar and had resulted in a very high literacy where it was believed that more than half the population were able to read whilst only a fifth could write.

Riksdagen was gathered on the order of king Oscar to discuss and reform the Swedish school system, the king wished to provide all his citizens with a basic education. Schools were to become mandatory for all children aged 7-9, teaching them how to read, write, count as well as an insight into geography, religion (Lutheran teachings) and some gymnastics. The children would also be graded on how orderly they were and how well behaved they were.

Folkskolan (The people’s school) was to be established in all parishes in Sweden and Finland. It was decided that a board of directors, elected by each parish and headed by the local priest, would run and organize the schools. This would allow each locality to achieve the most efficient system for them. After the board had been elected, they would be given a five-year deadline to erect a school and hire teachers. Some more sparsely populated parts like in northern Sweden and Finland were exempted from establishing permanent school buildings in turn for a croft to house a traveling teacher.

Oscar I would also travel to Oslo to discuss the reform with the Norwegians. He firmly believed that a similar reform should take place there although tailored to their allmäna skolan spread across the formannskapsdistrikt. He presented the reform and said that the Norwegians could do as they pleased in how they wanted to implement the school reform, but they were to have the same curriculum as was to be used in Sweden and Finland.

Funding: The costs for school buildings and teacher salaries would be paid in a form of a small mandatory fee from the parents who sent their kids to school. A small tax would also be collected in the parish to help pay for folkskolan. A board of directors elected by the parishes would decide how much the fee and tax would be thus making it suited for their parish members.

Additional funding: Poor parishes can apply for government funding via the bishop who would review the application before sending it to the king for approval to help fund the schools. An initial school fund of 20.000 riksdaler, established by the king, was prepared for this eventuality; a teacher’s yearly salary was 50 daler meaning that the initial budget could pay for 400 teachers.