Finland’s education ministry proposes unified ethics and religion course, reviving a regional model abandoned years ago

A government working group has proposed replacing separate religion and ethics courses in Finnish comprehensive schools with a single, unified subject—an approach previously attempted in South Ostrobothnia before legal obstacles forced its abandonment.

According to a report by Finnish public broadcaster Yle, the Ministry of Education and Culture’s proposal aligns with a regional model used in South Ostrobothnia until 2024, when it was scrapped due to conflicts with national laws and curriculum requirements. Under that model, most instruction was shared, with only portions tailored to specific beliefs.

Marika Ojala, director of basic education in Seinäjoki, said the regional experiment aimed to foster dialogue and mutual understanding—goals now reflected in the ministry’s proposal. “If strengthening shared perspectives and conversation isn’t important now, then when?” she told Yle.

The reform could also address practical challenges, such as a shortage of qualified teachers. In rural parts of South Ostrobothnia, some students study religion or ethics remotely due to a lack of local instructors. Nearly 300 children in the region currently learn Orthodox Christianity or Islam through distance education.

Jari Jaskari, principal of Onkilahden School in Vaasa and former education director in Seinäjoki, helped develop the regional model a decade ago. He said the idea originated from student feedback: “Pupils asked why they couldn’t join their friends’ religion classes. That’s a pretty important perspective.”

Jaskari and Ojala stressed that successful implementation will depend on clear guidelines—including defining the subject’s scope and teacher qualifications—as well as training for educators. “We need a model that local schools can apply without ambiguity,” Ojala said.

The proposal stems from a working group examining how Finland’s shrinking student population will reshape primary education. While Lutheran Christianity remains the most widely taught belief system, enrollment in Islam and secular ethics courses has grown nationally and in South Ostrobothnia. Final decisions on the reform will rest with the next government.

In 2024, roughly 430,000 Finnish students took Lutheran religion classes, compared to about 30,000 in secular ethics.