Reader opinion Helsinki should move from flying visions to deeds

Opinion|Reader’s opinion

Helsinki urban strategy for the years 2021–2025 is a handsome read. It is written how Helsinki is the best and most equal place in the world to learn. The goal is to be the capital of literacy in the future.

For grassroots actors, the situation seems a little different. For example, when ordering learning materials, the goal is solely to save, and there is no room for reducing group sizes, which hardly serves the goals of the urban strategy. Developing literacy without books does not seem like a competent idea.

I talked to two of my friends who teach in Helsinki’s primary schools. One school has halved its learning materials budget for next school year, and another school can no longer afford to provide remedial education to students this spring. I constantly hear similar feedback all over Helsinki.

Strategies are easy to write, and volatile visions can bring momentary pleasure to the speaker. However, now would be the time to act. The teacher’s back skin is starting to puncture. Gradually, it would be time for decision-makers to wake up so that we can provide quality teaching to our more heterogeneous groups of students, as well as the support that students deserve.

Juho Vehviläinen

lecturer in mother tongue and literature

Helsinki

Reader opinions are speeches written by HS readers, selected and delivered by HS’s editorial staff. You can leave a comment or read the principles of writing at www.hs.fi/kirjtamielipidekirjoitus/.