Finnish education agency admits past errors in shortening school days for special needs pupils

The Finnish National Agency for Education (Opetushallitus) has acknowledged that previous interpretations of the law on shortening school days for pupils with disabilities or functional limitations were often incorrect, reports national broadcaster Yle.

A legal amendment introduced last autumn was intended to emphasize pupils’ right to education, but it has made it more difficult to shorten school days for children with special needs. Under the revised Basic Education Act, shortened days are now only permitted temporarily and for health-related reasons, as a last-resort measure to support school attendance.

The change has had significant consequences for many families, with school days unexpectedly lengthening by several hours. Critics have also described the new law and its guidelines as contradictory and unclear.

In a statement to Yle, the agency clarified that the reform aims to strengthen support for all pupils. “The goal of the learning and school attendance support reform has been to ensure every pupil’s right to receive necessary support and to standardize continuity of support across different education levels,” said education counsellors Mari Grönroos and Jukka Vetoniemi.

They noted that while the law includes group-based support measures, individualized support remains available for pupils requiring regular or long-term assistance. However, exemptions from full school days must now be based on individual assessments, be temporary, and justified by health reasons.

The agency also addressed criticism that the reform was rushed, stating that preparation had spanned several years with input from experts, education providers, and stakeholders. Previous misinterpretations of the law had led to arbitrary and prolonged reductions in school hours without ensuring pupils’ right to education, they explained.

Regarding calls from the Non-Discrimination Ombudsman to review the law’s impact, Opetushallitus confirmed that monitoring and evaluating the effects of the reform are part of standard procedure. Feedback from schools, research data, and observations from authorities will inform future assessments.