Finland's Bold Move: Importing Students to Combat Population Decline

 

Despite potential controversies, Finland's approach to filling empty school seats with foreign pupils offers a pragmatic solution that may serve as a valuable model for other nations facing similar demographic declines.

In the small town of Rautavaara, nestled in eastern Finland, Marianne Korkalainen faces a daunting challenge as the head teacher of the local high school. Ideally, her institution would welcome at least 20 new pupils each year, but this autumn, the municipality will only send about 12. This shortfall is part of a broader trend affecting many rural schools in Finland, where shrinking school-age populations and urban migration are causing significant declines in student numbers. In response, Ms. Korkalainen has devised an innovative plan: to invite half a dozen students from poorer countries such as Myanmar, Vietnam, and Tanzania to fill the empty seats and receive a Finnish education at taxpayers’ expense.

Finland is experiencing one of the fastest declines in school-age populations in Europe. According to EU projections, by 2030, the country could have nearly 10% fewer children aged 4-18, and by 2040, this figure might decrease by a fifth. This demographic shift poses a particular threat to rural schools, which face both declining birth rates and migration to cities. Hundreds of schools have closed their doors in recent decades, and those that remain often resort to incentives like free driving lessons and small cash scholarships to retain local youth.

The concept of filling vacant desks with foreign students is relatively new and has been driven by a Finnish startup, Finest Future. This company offers Finnish lessons to eager students in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Those who achieve a decent proficiency in the language are referred to willing schools in Finland. By the end of this year, Finest Future will have facilitated the arrival of around 1,500 foreign pupils, with a goal of eventually supplying Finland’s upper secondary schools—educating about 110,000 students in total—with around 15,000 new students each year. Already, some small schools are accepting more foreign pupils than Finnish ones.

The scheme competes with expensive boarding schools in countries like Britain. For students, the savings from free tuition in Finland justify the challenge of learning a less widely spoken language. The prospect of a free Finnish university place in the future further sweetens the deal. Schools benefit because the central government provides per-student funding for each newcomer, just as it does for Finnish students. Rural communities value the influx of young people who can help sustain local economies and social structures.

Peter Vesterbacka, co-founder of Finest Future and an entrepreneur known for building the “Angry Birds” brand for Rovio, argues that all Finns benefit in the long run. Finland's population of 5.5 million is set to start declining within the next decade. The country struggles to attract high-skilled foreign workers, with only about 9% of its inhabitants born abroad—one of the lowest rates in Europe. Vesterbacka believes that foreigners who arrive as teenagers, learn the language, and are educated in the Finnish system are far more likely to stay and succeed than adults targeted later through skilled-worker programs. He asserts that these young immigrants bring more money into the country than the government spends on their education.

Despite the potential benefits, the program faces significant challenges and controversies. Currently, high schools do not need special permission from the central government to admit Finnish-speaking foreigners, provided they have vacant spots. However, this could change. The education ministry in Helsinki has expressed its discontent with funding places for foreign students and might advocate for focusing resources on fewer, larger schools, which could serve Finnish children more effectively than supporting numerous small ones. This potential policy shift reflects a broader debate on how best to allocate limited educational resources in a country facing demographic decline.

Finland's experiment with importing students from abroad offers valuable lessons for other countries grappling with similar demographic issues. It highlights the potential for innovative solutions to sustain educational institutions and communities in the face of population decline. However, it also underscores the complexities and potential trade-offs involved in such initiatives. Balancing the immediate benefits of filling empty seats and sustaining local schools with the long-term goal of providing high-quality education to all children, regardless of their background, remains a critical challenge.

As Finland's school-age population continues to shrink, the initiative to bring in foreign students represents a bold and pragmatic approach to a pressing problem. It leverages global interest in quality education and turns a demographic challenge into an opportunity for cultural exchange and mutual benefit. However, the success and sustainability of this approach depend on careful consideration of financial, educational, and social factors. Finland's experience will undoubtedly provide valuable insights for other countries facing similar demographic trends, illustrating both the potential and the complexities of addressing educational needs in an interconnected world.

By examining Finland's strategy to counteract declining student numbers through international recruitment, we gain insight into the innovative approaches required to navigate the demographic challenges facing educational systems globally.