Education ministry drafts options to tighten home schooling, including application-based enrollment
Finland's education ministry released a study outlining three reform paths for home schooling, one of which would require families to apply for permission.
On Monday the education ministry published a study examining three possible reforms to Finland's home-schooling system. Options include keeping the existing arrangement but adding a school-attendance levy, amending the legal rules and oversight, or creating a system where families must submit an application detailing their teaching plan and meeting set criteria. Minister Anders Adlercreutz explained that the ministry is doing preparatory work so the forthcoming coalition can act, emphasizing the child's right to a certificate of completed education.
The study notes a rapid rise in compulsory-age pupils taught at home, from 309 in 2018 to 1 062 in 2026, though they remain a small share of all schoolchildren. Helsinki mayor Daniel Sazonov supports a levy model, arguing home schooling should be allowed only for exceptional reasons such as health. The ministry also cited police concerns that unregulated home schools could be vulnerable to ideological influence.
Why it matters
The proposals could reshape how home schooling is regulated, affecting families and educational oversight nationwide.
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