High Demand at Sámi Kindergarten in Kiruna

The Sámi kindergarten in Kiruna, Northern Sweden, is experiencing high demand and long waitlists this autumn, reports SVT News.

To comply with the Swedish National Agency for Education's guidelines of a maximum of 15 children per section, available spots are limited strictly to the openings left by children moving on to school. With only 11 spots opening up this autumn, an equal number of children have been left without a place for the 2026/2027 school year.

Principal Katarina Sixten Inga told SVT that demand has been unusually high over the past two years. Despite the premises currently being disrupted by ongoing renovations and expansion, every family on the waitlist has chosen to keep their spot in line.

Many parents are relying on temporary solutions, such as municipal kindergartens or help from grandparents, while they wait. The principal is therefore encouraging families to apply for a placement as early as possible.