Study reveals stark academic gaps for immigrant-background children in Finland

The learning difficulties faced by children from immigrant backgrounds reflect the multilayered segregation within society, according to Venla Bernelius, an associate professor of urban geography at the University of Helsinki who studies inequality and regional segregation. A study by the University of Jyväskylä and the Ministry of Education and Culture indicates significant skill gaps between immigrant-background students and those from the native population. Among first-generation immigrant students, a staggering 61% have such poor reading skills that they cannot fully participate in further studies or the workforce.

Notably, the study found that the average skill level of native students did not change based on the percentage of immigrant-background students in the school. In contrast, the academic performance of immigrant-background children declined slightly as the number of these students increased. Bernelius finds this observation intriguing and calls for further research. She concludes that school “shopping” by native families—choosing schools with fewer immigrant students—appears unnecessary.

In a concerning finding, the literacy skills of second-generation immigrants were found to be closer to those of their first-generation counterparts than to native Finnish children. Eighteen percent of native Finnish children have low literacy skills, compared to 39% of second-generation immigrant children, despite being born in Finland and having access to services.

Bernelius emphasizes that the roots of inequality often lie outside schools, with the socioeconomic status of immigrant families frequently lower than that of the native population. She highlights that the native population contributes to ethnic segregation by selecting neighborhoods and schools. Solutions must be found to support students from diverse backgrounds, with an understanding that disparities stem from various regional factors, not solely from the school environment.