“We need to be responsible for talent, both for Sweden’s sake but also for the students’ sake so that they don’t rot in school,” said Moderate Party Riksdag member and working group leader Mats Gerdau to the Svenska Dagbladet (SvD) newspaper.

National, American-style spelling bees are one of the concrete proposals. Another suggestion is to provide bonuses for talented teachers.

“Without being able to spell right, you can’t perform Google searches. We’re also seeing that students are reading less and need to do something about it,” said Gerdau, who proposes a national essay competition which could be rewarded with a chance to meet the winner of the Nobel Prize in literature.

The working group wants the government to appoint an encouragement commission through which people from difference sectors of society can offer suggestions about how to stimulate talent.

“With more encouragement we think that we can go a great deal further,” said Gerdau.