Russian instead of Swedish in Finnish schools
Finnish Prime Minister Mari Kiviniemi says schools in the eastern part of the country should be allowed to offer pupils Russian, instead of Swedish, as second language.
Several schools in North Karelia, where Kontiolahti is located, have asked for permission to replace obligatory Swedish with Russian, Yle News reports. During a visit to the area this week, Premier Kiviniemi suggested that the proposed changes can start on a trial basis in parts of the country.
As the country’s second official language, Swedish remains obligatory at all schools. However in Eastern Finland Russian speakers far outnumber Swedish speakers. Most of the nation’s 5.4 percent Swedish-speaking minority is concentrated along the coast, Yle writes.
