Espoo primary schools to introduce anti-racism training

Espoo will begin offering anti-racism training to primary school pupils in early 2027 if the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) approves a joint funding application from the city and the private Koulutus Elämään foundation, city officials announced on Tuesday.

The training, part of the foundation’s Yhdenvertaisempi koulu (More Equal School) project, will address age-appropriate discussions on discrimination and unconscious bias with students in grades 4–6, according to Sami Teikko, the foundation’s executive director.

Espoo’s contribution to the project totals €13,000, covering the city’s in-kind work. The foundation has applied for €600,000 in THL funding to support the initiative.

Juha Nurmi, Espoo’s director of basic education, said the training aligns with the national curriculum and has already been piloted in some schools with positive results. He noted that multilingual students often report feeling excluded or bullied.

If funded, the training will be rolled out across all Espoo primary schools for grades 4–6 between 2027 and 2029.

The Koulutus Elämään foundation, established in 2001, is a non-religious, non-political organisation promoting healthy lifestyles and wellbeing.