The Nordic Times – 16mar2026.
The Norwegian government has announced one of the biggest overhauls of primary education in decades. Grades 1–4 will receive fewer subjects, more free play, and strict screen restrictions following declining results in reading and numeracy.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Education Minister Kari Nessa Nordtun presented plans for a comprehensive reform of the lower primary school years. The backdrop is alarming test results and an evaluation of the 1997 reform that lowered the school starting age to six.
” We need to think big about the youngest, and we are all concerned about the results we have seen – that reading, writing, and arithmetic are declining,” the prime minister said, according to Norwegian public broadcaster NRK.
From August 1, 2026, screen use will be severely restricted in grades 1–4 through legislation. More play and practical activities will characterize the lower grades, and the number of subjects may be cut.
A government committee is expected to submit its report on the future of primary school on August 6, 2026.
Sweden on the same track
Norway is not alone in changing course. Sweden is introducing a national mobile phone ban in schools from the fall semester of 2026 for students aged 7–16. Education policy has made a sharp U-turn – printed textbooks are mandatory once again, and former Education Minister Lotta Edholm acknowledged that the digitalization of Swedish schools was “an experiment” without scientific basis.
PISA 2022 shows that Norway dropped 33 points in mathematics since 2018, landing at 489 – compared to Sweden’s 518 points.
Source – The Nordic Times – Norway to ban screens and expand free play in primary schools
