CHENNAI: Sweden, once touted as the trendsetter in digital education, is retreating to traditional learning methods. In a significant policy reversal that has caught the attention of educators worldwide, the Scandinavian nation is making the U-turn after witnessing the accelerating decline in reading and writing abilities among its young.
Sweden is gradually replacing tablets with textbooks and keyboards with handwriting, marking a decisive end to an experiment that spanned a little over a decade, which saw books being sidelined and replaced with laptops and iPads. The objective of transforming to digital classrooms was futuristic, one that was meant to prepare students for a world heavily dependent on technology.
The experiment turned out to be disappointing. The reading standard of students took a nosedive. From among the best in Europe in 2000, Sweden’s reading literacy scores hit a low point in 2012. The government is now gearing up to spend millions on textbooks. Classrooms are seeing a revival in reading, with teachers reporting that students themselves are eager for more paper-based learning.
As Europe resets its clock, the status of reading closer home is cause for concern. “The lesson from Sweden is clear. While technology is a tool, it is not a replacement for foundational reading skills. Sadly, the Indian education system does not have a proper differentiation between education and literacy,” says Prince Gajendra Babu, general secretary of the State Platform for Common School System-Tamil Nadu (SPCSS-TN).
Babu explains that throughout history, whenever learning happened, civilisation evolved. The process of observing, learning and documenting something benefitted an entire civilisation in the long run.
“However, when literacy took over knowledge, information got confined within computers and holding a textbook, skimming through its pages and being present with the lessons it taught lost its charm. All of this negatively impacted reading,” he told DT Next.
According to the National Literacy Trust’s (NLT) 2024 annual literacy survey, the crisis that hit reading for pleasure is not confined to the West. While the survey was conducted in the UK, its findings serve as a warning bell for the Indian education system, which is simultaneously pushing for digital classrooms through initiatives such as ‘Digital India’ and ‘PM eVIDYA’ and struggling with basic literacy challenges among students. The NLT survey of over 76,000 children aged 8 to 18 revealed worrying trends. Only one in three children ‘enjoyed reading’ in their spare time, the lowest such level recorded since 2005. Not just that, the survey also found that only one in five children read daily during free time.
In the case of India, where a large section of first-generation learners have no home library or parental guidance in reading, these figures are a red flag.
Educationists point to the NLT’s finding that the decline is steeper among teenagers and say it mirrors the status in both private and government schools, where books are displaced by screen addiction.
“These days students do not want to make any effort in creativity or learning something new. They are dependent on artificial intelligence (AI) even for simple assignments, which takes a toll on their knowledge gathering and reasoning skills,” warns educationist and career consultant Jayaprakash Gandhi. He explains that while AI can enhance efficiency, it cannot be considered as a replacement for books. “Textbooks, and educational books in general, promote critical thinking and help us use our brains to further research and understand various topics. If we rely on AI for everything, we are clearly treading a hopeless path,” he notes.
The Swedish experience suggests that a blind embrace of screens may worsen this trend. To cement these fears further, a study published in JAMA paediatrics in 2020 noted that children as young as 3-5 years old were at the risk of losing a significant amount of white matter in their developing brains when exposed to screens from an earlier age. Following this revelation, the American Association of Paediatrics suggested that considering how children’s brains are altered even before they enter schools, parents should limit screen time to combat the cognitive behavioural risks associated with it.
While Indian schools rushed to deploy smart classes and tablets post-pandemic, experts argue that the fundamentals of joyful reading have been ignored. “When humans get treated as market species instead of social species, they become consumers, thereby making education a commodity,” says Babu.
“The packed curriculum, high academic expectations and the perception of a challenging future that is completely AI-dependent has placed unreasonable pressure on students to rely on technology, resulting in a decline in reading, say experts. They point out that the Swedish model is not a rejection of technology, but a rebalancing. “Digital devices are still used, but they no longer dominate the early years. In India’s context, as the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 advocates for foundational literacy and numeracy by Grade 3, with a message that makes more sense now more than ever: Before a child can ‘code’, they must learn to read with joy,” emphasises Babu.
For India, this would mean reintroducing dedicated library periods, story-telling sessions, and ensuring that every government school’s library has more than just old textbooks. It also calls for a shift from viewing reading as a chore for examinations to an activity that helps children relax and feel happy.
“In the 1980s, Tamil Nadu had a lot of reading centres called ‘Padippagam’, which promoted reading and a healthy debate on all current issues. This involved reading the newspapers and discussing politics, which made people stay abreast of global happenings. These reading centres and libraries need to be revived,” adds Babu.
Gandhi says if a country like Sweden can admit that the experiment went too far, it is time for India’s educators and parents to pause.
“Politicians and policy makers need to understand that the path to educational excellence is not lit by a screen alone. They need to stop shoving AI down children’s throats and instead bring reforms to ensure that education and knowledge are more application-oriented,” he noted.