Vöyri municipality faces backlash after closure of Petterinmäki school in Ostrobothnia

The Vöyri municipality in Ostrobothnia closed its only Finnish-language school, Petterinmäki, last spring after prolonged discussions in the community, primarily opposed by Finnish-speaking families. They argued that the closure left families with limited options, as the nearest alternative Finnish-language education was 30 kilometers away. Petterinmäki is located on the border of Vöyri and Kauhava municipalities, leading some families to enroll their children in Kauhava’s Ylihärmä school.

Elina Ihamäki-Närkki’s family has since rented an apartment in Ylihärmä, officially relocating to ensure spots in Finnish-language daycare and preschool for their three-year-old and school-aged children, while Ihamäki-Närkki remains registered and living in Vöyri. She emphasizes the strain of navigating daily life without the inherent support of a local Finnish school, stating, “While others choose school backpacks, we try to figure out creative solutions to keep our normal life running.”

Families report fragmented schooling experiences where children attend preschool in one location, elementary school in another, and secondary school in yet another. Sirpa Kallio mentions the cost of transporting her younger child to school, which amounts to roughly 200 euros monthly. Some parents are concerned that the newly established “language pair school” in Oravais—30 kilometers away—will not effectively support their children’s learning needs due to its diversity in languages.

With rising frustrations among residents, many families are looking into the possibility of relocating to Kauhava to access services or pursuing a municipal partition that would bring their properties into Kauhava’s jurisdiction. The local government has been hesitant, with officials expressing reluctance to consider border adjustments despite the municipal finance ministry potentially supporting such changes.