If the Swedish government gets its way, schoolchildren in this country will soon have unauthorized absences recorded on their report cards along with their grades.

Two decades ago, I was one of those children who refused to go to school because I feared the bullies. Had I been a child today, I would feel the new proposal is all about the authorities wanting to give me an extra slap for not being popular at my school.

I have other, far more radical proposals aimed to curb the problem of truancy.

Firstly, I think we ought to privatize all schools and make them suffer financially when their pupils are not learning. Secondly, I want to make home-schooling an option for families. Every child is an individual. He or she should not be forced to adapt to a school that may not suit him or her. Home-schooled pupils could easily be graded after their successful accomplishment of national tests.