Salo criticizes Finnish government for contradictory actions on education reform

Jaakko Salo, the head of education policy at the Teachers’ Union OAJ, has criticized the government for contradictory actions regarding the reform of learning support. In an interview on Yle Radio Suomi’s program, he emphasized that learning support encompasses measures that aid students in meeting required educational standards, such as guidance, resources, or full-time special education. Currently, the government is revamping the model for providing support in schools.

According to Salo, a preliminary proposal for the reform, which was available during the public consultation phase in spring, initially seemed promising. However, he urged the government to implement the recorded reforms, stating that simply outlining attractive phrases in documents does not help anyone.

The existing educational model employs a three-tiered support system—general, intensified, and special support—where support types escalate based on the severity of need. OAJ has long criticized this model for its excessive bureaucracy and lack of practical solutions, which sometimes fail to guarantee actual support despite identifying needs through assessments.

Salo remarked that the challenges faced by schools and teachers have significantly increased over the past 20 years, yet Finland has inadequately responded to these changes, leaving many students with greater support needs unmet. Concrete actions should include ensuring that students requiring special education receive adequate instruction.

The planned reforms aim to create a unified support model from early education through secondary schooling, focusing on individualized assistance rather than categorizing students into support groups. Education Minister Anders Adlercreutz emphasized that this is not about saving costs but allowing teachers to dedicate more time to teaching by eliminating unnecessary administrative tasks.

However, Salo cautioned that while essential reforms are being proposed, the government’s lack of funding security for basic operations threatens the quality of early childhood education, ultimately impacting foundational education. He also noted that the government plans to eliminate planning obligations for early childhood education, a move that could further deteriorate its quality. Adlercreutz countered, stating that resource allocation, not cost-cutting, drives these changes.