In  , it was noted that happiness spikes when wealth increases but then gradually levels off as a factor.   Money does not buy happiness, it was always said, and it may be that money does not buy a better education either.

It's what happens when money is expected to increase basic education; achieving that begins to conflict with notions of diversity, equality and inclusion.

Inclusion has become a political buzzword, notes Docent Girma Berhanu from the University of Gothenburg in International Journal of Special Education, but educational reform is leading to less of it.  

Writing in International Journal of Special Education, Berhanu notes that Sweden's model of homogenizing the impact of varying cultural and economic backgrounds is still resulting in a lower quality education and immigrants and the poor still end up not benefiting.   In other words, more money has not made anyone as smart as individual initiative but while he noted that social engineering has not worked, he still thinks there should be more of it.

Berhanu notes widening differences among schools and municipalities and among pupils despite 20 years of economic efforts at parity.   The argument had long been for more money and effort put toward minorities and those with other special circumstances but Berhanu says instead Sthat students from the mentioned groups can benefit more from being taught together with classmates without special needs - like it used to be.

"The Swedish development is not good. It is particularly problematic that more and more students who need extra support, socially disadvantaged students and immigrant students are becoming marginalised and are having severe problems in the classroom," says Berhanu.  "Swedish schools need more staff with proper education, smaller classes and increased state governance of schools."

But if uniform standards have resulted in worsening Swedish students, more governance is not the answer.  And Swedish teachers aren't going to be thrilled at being told they lack the education to do their jobs helping children.