Minecraft lessons made compulsory in Swedish school

The Viktor Rydberg school in Stockholm has introduced compulsory Minecraft lessons for its 13-year-old pupils in an effort to teach them about planning for the future and environmental issues. Around 180 students are expected to take part in this experiment, where teacher Monica Ekman explains they will learn "about city planning, environmental issues, getting things done, and even how to plan for the future," Ekman said in an interview with The Local.

The school's decision to introduce the Minecraft lessons came about from Sweden's "Future City" competition, which challenged the educational establishment to put forward ideas for innovation in teaching. Ekman admitted that some parents found the idea a little uncomfortable, but defended the lessons by saying Minecraft is "a fun way of learning and it's nice for the students to achieve something."

This isn't the first time Minecraft has been used in youth programs: last year developer Mojang partnered with the United Nations to create its Block by Block program designed to refresh urban spaces.