The Ministry of Education has launched a study on homeschooling in Finland, Minister of Education Anders Adlercreutz (SPP) tells the news agency STT.

The purpose is to gain an understanding of the current state of homeschooling and how municipalities supervise homeschooling, based on a recommendation by the Ombudsman for Children.

According to Adlercreutz, the main concern is ensuring equality, because the level of education outside of schools is unclear. In Finland, children can be homeschooled based simply on an official notification by their parents or guardians.

According to the Ombudsman for Children, Elina Pekkarinen, the number of children in home education has tripled over the past decade, but still remains relatively low, totalling 881 children in 2024.

Pekkarinen handed over her annual report to the government on Thursday. It proposed an investigation into homeschooling before consideration on whether the sector should be regulated more strictly.

That follows a warning earlier this month from Finland's Security and Intelligence Service (Supo) that homeschooled children could be radicalised, mentioning radical Islam and far-right teachings.

In recent years, some Swedish families with extremist views have moved to the Åland Islands, attracted by the option of home schooling. In Sweden, homeschooling is practically prohibited, said Pekkarinen.

Pekkarinen said she shares concern over the risk of ideological or religious extremism.

However, she told Yle that "it is important that we do not stigmatise every parent and child who participates in homeschooling and where everything is going well".