Finnish Cities Call for Restrictions on Home Education

Six Finnish cities, including Helsinki, are calling for tighter legislation on home education and want school attendance to become compulsory. The city authorities propose that home education should be permitted only in exceptional circumstances, such as health-related cases.

Helsinki Mayor Daniel Sazonov said schools play an important role not only in academic learning but also in helping children socialise and integrate into society. He stressed that attending school is particularly important for pupils whose first language is neither Finnish nor Swedish, as it provides opportunities to develop social connections and a sense of belonging.

Around 1,000 children are currently home-educated across Finland. In Helsinki, more than 200 children received home education this year, accounting for approximately 0.4% of the city's total pupil population. Some families choose home education for reasons relating to their children's health or wellbeing.

Concerns have also been raised about the limited oversight of home education. The Finnish Security and Intelligence Service (Supo) has warned that, in some cases, home education could contribute to social segregation and create conditions in which extremist ideas may spread. However, officials in Tampere, one of the cities supporting the proposal, have emphasised that their main concern is not radicalisation, but ensuring that children have the opportunity to learn alongside their peers.

If the proposals are adopted, Finland could introduce stricter requirements on school attendance and narrow the circumstances in which home education is permitted.