Vocational Education: The Tension Between Educational Flexibility and Predictability

The aim of this chapter is to analyse and problematise the most recent upper secondary school reform in Sweden in the light of European Union policy on lifelong learning. We identify and discuss three tensions that permeate the education system and relate to the motives behind the new educational reform. Firstly, there is a tension between keeping all upper secondary school programmes together versus separating the vocational programmes into their own track. Secondly, there is a tension between general and generic competencies versus work-specific competences. Thirdly, there is a tension between educational flexibility and working life predictability. Our main argument is that the new reform implies a return to a previous school form with two tracks, one preparing for higher education and one for vocational work. Further, that the Swedish upper secondary education is moving away from the lifelong learning policies where vocational education is concerned. The educational life courses for those who have chosen a vocational programme risk being less flexible and more predictable.