Finland considers permit-based home schooling reform

The Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture has released a report regarding home schooling, prompting calls for legislative reform. Minister of Education and Culture Anders Adlercreutz indicated support for a model that would transition home schooling to a permit-based system, though such changes cannot be implemented during the current parliamentary term.

Data from the report shows that the number of students receiving home schooling has more than tripled in less than a decade, rising from 309 in 2018 to 1,026 this year. Currently, parents can withdraw children from school via a simple notification without providing justifications.

Oskari Valtola of the National Coalition Party has criticized the current regulations, noting that nearly half of those in home schooling do not receive a basic education graduation certificate. Valtola argues that the current system fails to protect a child's right to education and advocates for making home schooling permit-based, similar to private education, to ensure adherence to the Basic Education Act and national curricula.