Foreign nationals face ethical concerns over vocational training fees in Finland

Many foreign nationals have paid substantial sums to enroll in vocational training or secondary schools in Finland. The number of international students increases every year, but this trend raises significant ethical concerns. The North Karelia education consortium, Riveria, facilitated the arrival of 43 Myanmar students to Finland in 2022, which illustrates some of the ethical questions surrounding the recruitment of foreign students.

One arrival, 35-year-old Nyi Nyi Aung, paid $10,000 for preparatory training that included online courses in Finnish and healthcare topics. Aung, who funded this with savings from his nursing job in Singapore, found the tuition fee steep. In 2022, Myanmar’s GDP per capita was $1,096, while in Finland, it was $50,537, highlighting the vast economic disparity.

The preparatory program was organized by Shin Rai International Vocational Institute (SRIVI) in Myanmar, where Riveria had a collaborative relationship, facilitated by SRIVI’s former director Kysti Timonen. Riveria’s current director, Esa Karvinen, emphasized that the tuition fees were not unreasonable compared to existing services. However, the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture is seeking clarification from Riveria regarding the recruitment process, particularly how students were charged and how funds flowed among involved parties.

Karvinen asserted that Riveria would no longer recruit nursing students from Myanmar, instead focusing on degree programs that offer free education for all international students. Officials are concerned about the ethical implications of the previous arrangements, prompting ongoing scrutiny to ensure fair practices in international student recruitment.

Nyi Nyi Aung, who graduated as a nursing assistant, expressed satisfaction with his new life in Finland and his job caring for the elderly.