The Urban Policy Council's first report examines educational segregation in the Helsinki capital region and raises critical questions for municipalities. According to the report, daycare centers in more advantaged areas employ, on average, a higher proportion of qualified teachers.
A recent study commissioned by the Urban Policy Council shows that in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas, the proportion of teachers meeting legal qualification requirements is, on average, lower than in more affluent areas.
"This means that qualified early childhood staff-especially teachers-tend to concentrate in neighborhoods where residents are generally more educated and have higher incomes. This is particularly important because we know that staff quality is the most influential factor in educational outcomes," says Mirjam Kalland, Chair of the Council and Professor of Education at the University of Helsinki.
The phenomenon, however, is not without important exceptions: in some areas, qualification levels are high, and some teachers deliberately choose to work in neighborhoods where they feel their work is especially meaningful in reducing inequality. "These units should be studied more closely. We need to understand what makes them attractive workplaces for qualified staff," Kalland adds.
According to a study by Reija Ahola and Lauri Hietajärvi, the difference in the number of qualified staff between socioeconomically weaker and stronger areas was significant across the capital region. In the most disadvantaged areas, only about 45% of teachers were qualified, compared to over 60% in the most advantaged areas. There were also differences between cities. Based on 2024 data, the share of qualified teachers in Helsinki was 58% in Finnish-language early childhood education and 55% in Swedish-language education. The corresponding figures in Vantaa were 55% and 50%, and in Espoo, 48% and 48%.
Municipal early childhood education administrators recognize recruitment challenges and report implementing various measures to improve the situation, such as salary supplements and hiring additional staff. Despite these efforts, the gap between socioeconomically advantaged and disadvantaged areas remains clear.
