Education of Pupils with Migrant Backgrounds: A Systemic Failure in the Finnish System?

Abstract

AbstractThis chapter discusses the structural issues and mechanisms behind the lower academic performance and poorer health of the pupils categorised as “pupils with migrant background” compared to other pupils in Finnish schools. In PISA 2018 migrant pupils were almost three years behind other pupils in literacy and pupils with a migrant background about two years behind. Finland has the largest gap in the OECD between migrant and migrant background students and non-migrant students in literacy. Not only do migrant students and students with migrant background perform more poorly, but they are also bullied more in school. We base our analysis on critical race and whiteness theories and also lean on theoretical constructs from intersectionality research. We have treated the findings of inequalities between pupils with and without a migrant background as symptoms of a systemic failure not of failing students, families or teachers. In order to understand the failure of educating pupils with migrant background well, an analysis of structural racism and an intersectional analysis of race, racialisation, whiteness, gender and social class in Finnish school and society are needed.