Folder of former pupils’ personal data found at closed Lahti school

A folder containing personal data about former pupils has been found in the yard of a closed school in Lahti, Yle reports. The city considers the incident serious but says the risk of misuse appears low.

The folder contains about 20 sheets of paper, including official decisions concerning former pupils and pupil cards for several children. The cards include personal identity codes. Other documents contain details that could identify people when linked to their names.

A private individual found the folder and handed it to police last week. It is now in the city’s possession. The school building, the former Männistö school in Nastola, has been out of use since 2017 and is privately owned.

Lahti’s data protection officer, Tiina Häyrinen, believes the folder was likely left behind when the school closed. She and the city’s director of education and early childhood education inspected parts of the property that could be accessed without a key, but found no other sensitive material there.

The city has reported the breach to the Data Protection Ombudsman and will contact the people whose information was in the papers by letter.