Immigrant-background Pupils in Finland Continue to Lag Behind Their Peers
A study conducted in Finland has revealed that a significant portion of 15-year-old students with immigrant backgrounds lack the skills needed to lead a full life in the country. According to research by the University of Jyväskylä and the Ministry of Education, there are notable achievement gaps between immigrant-background students and those from the majority population.
The study, based on the 2022 PISA results, examined the reading, math, and science skills of immigrant-background students. It found that these students, particularly in reading and mathematics, performed poorly. Among first-generation immigrant students, 61% had insufficient reading skills, preventing them from fully participating in Finnish society, while 58% displayed weak math skills.
The study also highlighted that socioeconomic factors significantly impact the academic performance of immigrant-background students. When family income and living conditions were taken into account, the performance gap between immigrant-background students and the majority population decreased.
Education Minister Anders Adlercreutz expressed concern over these findings and pledged to strengthen Finnish and Swedish language education for immigrant-background students in response to the study’s results.
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