Elli Ryynälä starts school as only first grader at Loue School in Tervola, Finland

Elli Ryynälä, a seven-year-old girl, is excited to begin her education as the only first grader at Loue School, located in Tervola, a municipality in Lapland with a population of about 3,000. She carries a bright pink backpack filled with colored pencils and a unicorn eraser. Despite the small class size, which Ryynälä appreciates, she admits to feeling nervous about starting school, anticipating books and assignments.

Her teacher, Meeri Peura, notes the unique challenges of teaching a combined class of students in grades 0-2, but emphasizes the benefits of mixed-age learning where students help each other. The classroom features learning aids, such as play sand and building blocks, encouraging creativity and cooperation.

This year, Finland is witnessing a significant drop in first graders, with approximately 54,000 young students expected to start school, a decrease projected to continue in the coming years. Specialist researcher Irma Garam from the Finnish National Agency for Education indicates that the number of seven-year-olds may fall to about 50,000, unless unexpected changes occur.

As municipalities respond to declining student numbers by closing small schools, efforts to enhance collaboration between schools are increasing. The Association of Finnish Municipalities is working with pilot regions to improve educational access, utilizing digital tools for remote teaching across municipality borders.

In a broader context, the future of basic education in Lapland – and potentially beyond – may benefit from digitalization and inter-school cooperation, as researchers examine innovative paths for rural education in the face of a dwindling student population.