What is the primary objective of early childhood education according to newly enrolled students in a higher education preschool programme?

Swedish preschools are mandated to three interconnected roles: to provide care for young children’s needs, to support their learning and development, and to foster socialization into cultural norms and values. However, these roles are not necessarily valued equally by those entering the profession. This study examined how newly enrolled students enlisted in a preschool Bachelor programme prioritized these core tasks: care (omsorg), value fostering (fostran), and teaching/learning (lärande). The surveys were administered during the first week of the programme in 2015, 2017, and 2024. In the 2015 and 2017 cohorts, teaching was rated as the most important role (70% and 64%, respectively). By contrast, in 2024, the majority of students (57%) rated care as the primary task of preschool work. In all three cohorts, only 2-4% rated value fostering as the most important task. This low prioritization may reflect negative semantic association with the term fostran, or a belief that responsibility for fostering values is the role of parents rather than preschool staff. The survey serves as a baseline for discussing value-based education, teaching, and care in preschool practice. By situating the findings in relation to past and present curricula, the study highlights changes in students’ priorities and attitudes over time.