Compulsory school attendance for kids would strengthen Finland's security, according to Juha Martelius, head of the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service (Supo).

The proposal refers to a model used in Sweden, where pupils are required to attend classes in school buildings.

In Finland, by contrast, the law mandates compulsory education rather than compulsory school attendance, allowing parents to educate their kids at home.

"Radical, anti-society or hate-filled teachings could not be imparted to young people," Martelius said.

Around 1,000 children in Finland are homeschooled, with many choosing the option for health or wellbeing reasons.

Supo's national security review this week suggested that home schooling could, over time, heighten security risks linked to social fragmentation. The report warns that isolated educational settings may enable the spread of extremist ideologies, including radical Islamist or far-right teachings.

Helsinki University terrorism researcher Leena Malkki noted that Finland should not close its eyes to these concerns.

"Finland is a society built on trust. Supervision, and even support, is not always the strictest when it comes to home schooling," she said.

The newspaper Helsingin Sanomat on Tuesday queried parliamentary groups regarding homeschooling.

Left Alliance leader Minja Koskela told HS that Finland needs to bring in mandatory school attendance, arguing every child has the right to education.

Swedish far-right on Åland

Some Swedes have moved to the Åland Islands, attracted by the option of home schooling.

According to Martelius, the trend has involved families seeking to provide far-right ideological instruction to their children. That said, Martelius acknowledged that most youth radicalisation happens online as well as on social media, regardless of where in Finland they live.