Finnish school absences decline after years of rising rates

Finnish primary and secondary school students missed an average of 52 hours of school per pupil last year, down from nearly 60 hours two years prior, according to new data collected by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) and reported by Uutissuomalainen (USU).

The decline marks a reversal after years of increasing absenteeism, which had risen steadily since 2017 and surged further following the coronavirus pandemic. Education officials suggest a 2023 legal amendment—requiring schools to more rigorously monitor absences, investigate their causes, and implement preventive measures—may have contributed to the shift.

The figures include both authorized absences, such as illness or approved travel, and unauthorized absences like truancy. THL compiles school absence data biennially.