HELSINKI, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Swedish government on Tuesday announced sweeping school reforms backed by a record 4.3 billion kronor (470 million U.S. dollars) in the 2026 budget to raise standards and improve classroom discipline.

The plan allocates 820 million kronor to new curricula, a reworked grading system and stronger teacher training aimed at boosting knowledge and reading skills. Teachers will gain greater authority to issue detentions and remove disruptive pupils, supported by mandatory "consequences plans" and "expectations documents" from autumn 2026. A nationwide ban on mobile phones during the entire school day will also take effect that year.

Grades A-E will remain, but the lowest F will be replaced with a numerical scale to better reflect performance. Teacher education will receive more resources, higher entry standards and a stronger focus on literacy and cognitive science, while work-integrated training will be extended until 2032.

The package, which also strengthens student health services and school security, is being finalized under an agreement between the government and the Sweden Democrats. (1 Swedish krona = 0.11 U.S. dollar) ■