Final report of the action plan for strengthening the basic skills and language of instruction of pupils with a migrant background (2025–2026)
We prepared a final report on the Ministry of Education and Culture's action plan for Strengthening the basic skills and language of instruction of pupils with a migrant background (2021–2026). The final report was prepared in 2025–2026.
Progress has been made in supporting the learning and school attendance of pupils with a migrant background, but there are still significant differences between schools. Pupils may become isolated from the rest of the school community during instruction preparing for primary and lower secondary education, which makes the transition to primary and lower secondary education more difficult.
These are some of the conclusions of our final report, which collates the results of research, evaluations, development projects and the work of the experts of the ministerial steering group carried out in 2021–2026 as part of the Ministry of Education and Culture’s action plan for strengthening the basic skills and language of instruction of pupils with a migrant background. The action plan included a wide range of evaluations, studies and development projects aimed at tackling this challenge. The action plan was carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Finnish National Agency for Education and FINEEC. The final report was published on 25 September 2026.
The report includes:
- a summary of reforms to the education of pupils with a migrant background in 2021–2026
- a synthesis of the action plan material
- development recommendations for schools, education providers and education policy-making
- good practices from project activities.
Key findings of the final report:
- The learning and educational progress of pupils with a migrant background are supported especially by a sense of belonging to the school community, effective integration practices and language-aware teaching.
- There are significant differences and a degree of inconsistency in the practices of schools and education providers, which is evident e.g. in the integration of pupils receiving instruction preparing for primary and lower secondary education into regular primary and lower secondary education and the school community.
- Teachers need more support and continuing education, especially in language-aware teaching, learning support and the identification of learning difficulties and trauma-related challenges.
Read more about the results of the evaluation:
- Report: Differences in school practices regarding the school paths of pupils with a migrant background – Final report on the KIEPPI action plan (abstract in English)
- Materials from the publication event: PowerPoint presentation (in Finnish)
- Release: Differences in school practices lead to variations in the school paths of pupils with a migrant background
Key data (in Finnish):
- Evaluation of the state and effectiveness of preparatory education and instruction in the pupil’s own mother tongue (Finnish Education Evaluation Centre)
- Evaluation of the current state of Finnish/Swedish as a second language instruction (Owal Group Oy) (page in Finnish)
- 13 projects to develop support for the integration of pupils in preparatory education (special government grant from the Finnish National Agency for Education)
- 60 projects that have received special government grants to strengthen the language of instruction and basic skills and support the transitions of primary and lower secondary education pupils with a migrant background (special government grant from the Finnish National Agency for Education) (page in Finnish)
- Education paths of immigrant students who arrived in Finland late – Enhancement-led evaluation in the action plan supporting the capabilities for attending school of students with an immigrant background (Finnish Education Evaluation Centre)
- VOITTO research project to develop the integration of and support for pupils transitioning from preparatory instruction to primary and lower secondary education (University of Jyväskylä and Tampere University) (page in Finnish)
- Development recommendations from the experts in the steering group appointed by the Ministry of Education and Culture.
One of FINEEC’s strategic goals for the 2024–2027 evaluation plan period is to foster social, ecological and economic sustainable development. The final report and its development recommendations promote education, equality, non-discrimination and wellbeing in accordance with sustainability principles. They will help strengthen the development work and operating cultures of education providers and schools, so that all pupils, regardless of their background, have equal opportunities to learn and progress to further education.
More information about evaluation
Jaana Saarinen
