The school building.

Who is responsible for what?

The school is responsible for a safe school building and school grounds. Every school has a safety plan that describes the policy about safety. Municipalities have a legal duty of care for school buildings. They take care of new buildings, extensions, and renovations. School governing bodies are responsible for daily maintenance and cleaning. They pay for this from the money they get from the government. Many municipalities use an Integrated Housing Plan, which shows which schools will be maintained and when.

Access and traffic safety near schools

New buildings are not only about the building itself but also about a safe route to it. Municipalities must watch traffic flows, safe crossing places, and good bicycle and walking routes. This also applies to temporary locations. These must be safe to reach, also for children with extra support needs.

What does the municipality do?

The municipality creates a regulation about school housing and makes the Integrated Housing Plan together with school governing bodies. This plan lists the priorities for renovation and new buildings. They must follow legal rules for safety, accessibility, indoor climate, and enough space.

Requirements for the school building

The requirements for the school building are in the law:

• The Building Decree: this includes rules about fire safety and electricity.
• The Working Conditions Decree: this states the rules for teachers’ working conditions. For example, that suitable furniture is used and that classroom and outdoor spaces are not too small. The working conditions catalog for secondary education and the working conditions catalog for primary education clearly describe the rules from the working conditions law.
• Food and Consumer Product Safety Decree for play and attraction equipment: this sets safety rules for playground equipment indoors and outdoors.
• There are also rules about the size of the classroom.
• The municipality’s building regulation: this can include extra rules that the school must follow. You can request these from the municipality.