Finnish Schools: Reforms, Phone Bans, PISA Slide — 2026-09-08
The OECD released PISA 2025 results on September 8, 2026, confirming a continued decline in Finnish student performance, particularly in reading and mathematics. Education Minister Anders Adlercreutz attributed the drop to reduced reading habits and weakening concentration skills, while political debate has intensified over funding cuts and the effectiveness of the recent phone ban.
Finnish Schools: Reforms, Phone Bans, PISA Slide — 2026-09-08
Top developments
PISA 2025 confirms continued decline in Finnish scores
The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2025 results were published on Tuesday, September 8, 2026. While Finnish students still perform above the OECD average in science, their performance in reading and mathematics has continued to fall. The data shows a widening gap between low-performing students and top performers, with the share of low-performing pupils rising more sharply in Finland than the OECD average. Finland’s reading skills dropped notably, with the country ranking 17th globally.
Minister blames attention span and digital distractions
Education Minister Anders Adlercreutz expressed deep concern over the results, linking the decline to reduced reading and weakening concentration skills among youth. He highlighted that the modern world "tempts with 15-second videos," making sustained focus for learning increasingly difficult. This aligns with broader OECD findings that AI use and digitalization are contributing to a global decline in reading skills.
Political debate shifts to funding and curriculum basics
Reaction from opposition parties was immediate. Ari Koponen (Finns Party) called for a return to "basics," advocating for the reintroduction of pen and paper over digital tools, and arguing that immigration impacts learning outcomes—a claim Minister Adlercreutz rejected as the primary cause. Conversely, Pia Lohikoski (Left Alliance) criticized right-wing parties for seeking to dismantle general education through budget cuts, warning that resource reductions directly harm school quality.
Teachers' union proposes concrete reforms
The OAJ (Trade Union of Education in Finland) responded to the results with a set of proposals aimed at reversing the trend. Their recommendations include a clearer core curriculum focused on basic competencies, mandatory continuing education for teachers organized by universities, and stronger support for early childhood education. They also emphasized the need to monitor the implementation of learning support systems more strictly.
Local view
Local media and stakeholders are interpreting the results through different ideological lenses. Helsingin Sanomat reported that teachers believe the issue is not the younger generation itself, but rather the environmental factors like phones that disrupt concentration, while acknowledging the strengths of new generations. Kuntalehti featured comments from Irmeli Myllymäki, head of education affairs at the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities, who pointed to Estonia as an interesting example of how learning requires effort and practice from the student, suggesting a need for a cultural shift in expectations.
Context & numbers
- Ranking: Finland placed 17th in reading skills in the PISA 2025 assessment.
- OECD Comparison: Despite declines, Finnish students remain above the OECD average in all three subjects (science, reading, math), though the gap is narrowing.
- Low Performers: The share of low-performing students in reading and mathematics has continued to rise in Finland, a change more pronounced than the OECD average.
- Global Context: The OECD noted that AI use is contributing to a global decline in reading skills among 15-year-olds across 91 countries.
On the radar
- Implementation of Learning Support Reform: Watch for updates on the "learning support" reform mentioned by the OAJ, which aims to clarify how support is given and monitored in schools.
- Curriculum Review: Following the minister's call for "basic competencies," expect discussions on potential adjustments to the national core curriculum to reduce digital distraction and emphasize foundational literacy.
- Municipal Budgeting: With municipalities facing pressure to cut spending, monitor local council decisions regarding education funding in the upcoming autumn budget cycles, as warned by the Left Alliance.
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