Finland Launches Active Living Initiative in Education
In Finland, the government has launched the “Finland on the Move” (Suomi liikkeelle) programme, placing the education system at the center of efforts to increase physical activity among children and young people. Research shows that physical activity during the school day positively affects students’ learning processes, attention levels, psychological wellbeing, and engagement in class. However, it is reported that only about one third of children and young people in the country meet the recommended levels of physical activity.
Developed within this framework, the programme aims to increase daily mobility across all age groups. While encouraging behavioral change at the individual, community, and institutional levels, it also seeks to strengthen structural factors that support daily physical activity. The cross-sectoral approach, which focuses on reducing prolonged sitting, envisions the systematic integration of physical activity into all aspects of school life, including lessons, breaks, school transport, the use of sports facilities, and after-school activities.
A total of €80 million has been allocated to the programme for the current government term, with €20 million per year planned between 2024 and 2027. Meanwhile, as part of a reform to the Basic Education Act, the promotion of a physically active lifestyle has been incorporated into the national core curricula for pre-primary, primary, and lower secondary education. In addition to these curriculum changes linked to the development of school culture, promoting physical activity during the school day has become a statutory obligation.