Oulu implements new restroom tracking system for students amid vaping concerns

The city of Oulu has decided that henceforth, students leaving class for the restroom will receive an entry in the Wilma system for parents to see. This move, first reported by the newspaper Kaleva, will primarily apply to upper secondary school students for the current academic year, with the possibility of introducing it to lower grades, such as fifth and sixth graders. No other municipality in Finland has implemented such a broad system yet.

This measure has been implemented due to increasing concerns among school staff regarding an uptick in vaping among students, as stated by Mika Penttilä, the director of education and culture. Teachers may be asked to grant permission for restroom visits during class, which can occur multiple times a week for the same student. Penttilä noted that there is a tendency for groups to leave the classroom together and that vaping supplies are often exchanged among students.

Increased vandalism, particularly in restrooms, has also been reported in some of Oulu’s schools. While schools will make the entries into Wilma, the responsibility for discussing these visits will lie with the parents, who can monitor their child’s exits from classes.

Children’s ombudsperson Elina Pekkarinen has raised privacy concerns regarding this new practice, arguing it is unreasonable for restroom visits to become a topic of discussion with parents. She emphasizes that only a small minority of children and adolescents use e-cigarettes, questioning the necessity of additional record-keeping for teachers already burdened with numerous responsibilities.

Penttilä reassures that the school’s role is limited to making the entries and not monitoring how many a student accumulates. Entry into Wilma has been facilitated with a specific button created at the city’s request. While no official tracking or reports will be generated, discussions can be held between schools and families about the entries. The new system has already taken effect in schools in southern Oulu, with area leaders deciding implementation in other schools.