Islamic Religious Education in Finland

Author: Niina Putkonen, Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Helsinki

Published: 2023

Reference information: Putkonen, Niina. (2023). Worldview education in Finland: Islamic religious education in public school. Website: https://blogs.helsinki.fi/tutkimus-islamin-uskonnon-opetuksesta/islamic-religious-education-in-finland/?lang=en. Referred: [date].

Worldview education in Finland: Islamic religious education in public school

Religious education in school is education in accordance with pupil’s own religion

Worldview education at schools includes the subject of religion and the subject culture, worldview and ethics (called also ethics). In Finland, the school’s worldview education is based on the positive freedom of religion as stated on the 2003 Act on the Freedom of Religion: the child has the right to receive education according to their religion or worldview.

The organisation of the subject of religion as well as culture, worldview and ethics is regulated by the Basic Education Act. A Muslim pupil has many ways of participating in the school’s worldview education. The guardian has a central role in choosing the child’s worldview education.

If the child belongs to one of the registered Islamic communities in Finland, the guardian may

  • request the Islamic religious education for the child
  • request teaching of the subject of culture, worldview and ethics for the child
  • notify that the child will participate in the teaching of the majority religion. Teaching of the majority religion usually means the classes of the Evangelical-Lutheran religion.

If the guardian does not request teaching of the child’s own religion or teaching of the subject of culture, worldview, nor have they registered the child in the teaching of the majority religion, the school organises other teaching or organised activities instead of worldview education. Instead of other teaching or organised activities, the child may also participate in teaching by their own religious community if the guardian requests so. The child does not receive a grade on the school certificate for teaching outside of school.

If the child does not belong to any Islamic community registered in Finland, they participate in culture, worldview and ethics teaching. The guardian may also request the teaching of Islam for the child based on the upbringing and cultural background. By the guardian’s notification, the child may alternatively also participate in the teaching of the majority’s religion. If culture, worldview and ethics teaching is not available, and the child does not participate in the teaching of Islam or the majority religion, the school will organise other teaching or organised activities instead of worldview education.

Religious education is general education

The aim subject of religion is general education. Religious education at school provides knowledge about the child’s own religion as well as other religions and worldviews. It also supports the child’s personal worldview reflection. In addition to knowledge, religious education provides skills. These include dialogue and interaction skills. Teaching is religiously non-confessional. Non-confessional means that the purpose of teaching religion in school is not strengthening the child’s or young person’s personal commitment to any religion or worldview. Children’s religious upbringing is the responsibility of their home.

Religious education does not include practising religion, such as praying. However, the teaching may include learning about the forms and ways of practising the religion. In this case it is part of religious knowledge. For example, a visit to a mosque or another religious building or learning about prayers or religious sacraments without practising religion may be a part of the school’s religious education.

The curriculum guides all education in basic education. The contents of religion as a subject and the objectives of instruction are explained in the curriculum. The Finnish National Agency for Education prepares the national core curriculum, and municipalities and schools base their own curricula on it. You can read the school’s curriculum for example on the school’s website.

The subject teacher of religion does not need to be a member of any religious community. For example, the teacher of Islam is qualified to teach after completing a Master’s degree, teacher’s pedagogical studies and studies in the subject to be taught, i.e. Islam.

Islam is one of the syllabi of the subject of religion

The subject of religion has various syllabi. Religious syllabi include Islam, Evangelical-Lutheran religion, Orthodox religion and Judaism, among all. All religious syllabi have common objectives and key content areas for teaching and learning, which are explained in the curriculum. Key content areas are

  • the pupil’s relationship with his or her own religion
  • the world of religions
  • the good life.

In addition, the curriculum includes more detailed descriptions of the contents of the syllabi of different religions. They explain what is the central content from the perspective of each religious syllabus.

In grades 3–6, the teaching of Islam focuses on, among other things, the Quran, tradition and the dogmatic foundation of Islam (S1 The pupil’s relationship with his or her own religion). Key contents also include Judaism, Christianity and Islam; on the Islamic classes, students learn about the prophets, holy places and holy scriptures these religions have in common (S2 The world of religions). In addition, the teaching includes the basics of Islamic ethics and life values (S3 The good life). In the curriculum for basic education, the key contents for the teaching of Islam have also been described for grades 1–2 and 7–9.

The number of children and young people participating in Islamic religious education in the basic education has increased in the last few years. Muslim pupils from multiple linguistic, cultural and worldview backgrounds and Islamic traditions, such as Sunni and Shia communities, participate in the Islamic lessons in the school. Islam teachers teach Islam in multiple schools in the same week or even in the same day. The schools acquire the teaching material required in the teaching. Islam teachers also prepare teaching materials themselves. Salam – islamin polku is a series of school textbooks for teaching Islam at schools published by the Finnish National Agency for Education.

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References

The Finnish National Agency for Education (2014). Perusopetuksen opetussuunnitelman perusteet 2014. Available (in Finnish): https://www.oph.fi/fi/koulutus-ja-tutkinnot/perusopetuksen-opetussuunnitelman-perusteet.

The Finnish National Agency for Education (2022a). Katsomusaineiden opetuksen järjestäminen. Available (in Finnish): https://www.oph.fi/fi/koulutus-ja-tutkinnot/katsomusaineiden-opetuksen-jarjestaminen.

The Finnish National Agency for Education (2022b). Ohje perusopetuksen uskonnon ja elämänkatsomustiedon opetuksen sekä esiopetuksen katsomuskasvatuksen järjestämisestä sekä yhteisistä juhlista ja uskonnollisista tilaisuuksista esi- ja perusopetuksessa. Available (in Finnish): https://www.oph.fi/fi/tilastot-ja-julkaisut/julkaisut/ohje-perusopetuksen-uskonnon-ja-elamankatsomustiedon-opetuksen-seka.

The Basic Education Act (628 / 1998). Available (in Finnish): https://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/ajantasa/1998/19980628.

Salmenkivi, Eero & Åhs, Vesa (2022). Selvitys katsomusaineiden opetuksen nykytilasta ja uudistamistarpeista. Helsinki: Opetus- ja kulttuuriministeriö. Available (in Finnish): https://julkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi/handle/10024/164015.