Sweden to initiate parliamentary talks on banning religious schools

Sweden will be pushing for a discussion to be held on whether to ban religious schools following reports that some schools are segregating boys and girls in the classroom. Aida Hadzialic, the Minister for Upper Secondary School said that a multi-party talks in Parliament will be held to discuss how to "really guarantee that school classes are free from religious elements."

Speaking to the Aftonbladet newspaper, the minister said: "The schools' law stipulates that school tuition must be secular, but we are receiving worrying signals that this is not the case, that girls and boys are being taught separately. We can't have it like that."

She added: "Swedish schools should be for everybody, they should break down segregation and form the basis for Sweden to stay strong."

The Local said that Sweden's free school system of state-funded but privately-run schools was introduced in 1992. This allowed for religious organisations to operate schools but this was only permitted as long as they followed the secular Swedish curriculum.