A record number of students signed up in the school year 2008/2009 for courses in Swedish for Immigrants, according to new figures from the Swedish National Agency for Education (Skolverket).
A total of 84,300 students grappled with the language at Swedish for Immigrants (Svenska för invandrare - SFI) classes in 2008/09, up 14 percent on the previous year's tally and the highest number in SFI's history.
Some 36,100 students experienced their first encounter with SFI during 08/09, the last school year for which figures are available.
The agency's figures also reveal that 63 percent of those who started SFI in 2006/07 had finished their courses and achieved at least a passing grade by the end of 08/09.
Just over a quarter of students starting in 06/07 had broken off their studies, while 10 percent planned to continue having not yet completed the courses.
TT
The Local | Sweden
