Criticism of Vindeln Municipality for failing to offer preschool activities in which teaching is conducted in whole or in part in Sami

Summary of the decision: Vindeln Municipality has been part of the administrative area for Sami languages since 2019. Pursuant to the Swedish Education Act (SFS 2010:800), the municipality must offer children a place in a preschool in which all or a significant part of teaching is conducted in Sami if so requested by the child’s parents/guardians.

The Chief Parliamentary Ombudsman is of the opinion that the scope of the education offered by the municipality to the complainant’s daughter does not fulfil legal requirements in this regard. While the Chief Parliamentary Ombudsman sympathises with the municipality in that it can be difficult to recruit staff with the requisite language skills, it should have been possible for the municipality to create better conditions for meeting its obligations. The municipality cannot avoid criticism for the shortcomings in the education offered.