Islam now third most studied religion in Finnish schools

Islam became the third most popular religion taught in Finnish comprehensive schools last year, according to data published by Statistics Finland. In primary grades (years 1–6), 4.2 percent of pupils received instruction in Islam in 2024. The figure for lower secondary grades (years 7–9) was slightly lower, at 3.3 percent. Since 2018, the share of […]

Islam became the third most popular religion taught in Finnish comprehensive schools last year, according to data published by Statistics Finland.

In primary grades (years 1–6), 4.2 percent of pupils received instruction in Islam in 2024. The figure for lower secondary grades (years 7–9) was slightly lower, at 3.3 percent.

Since 2018, the share of Islamic education has risen by nearly two percentage points in the lower years and by one percentage point in the upper years.

“Among primary school pupils, the share of those studying Islam is now two percentage points higher than those studying Orthodox Christianity. In lower secondary schools, the difference is 1.3 points,” said Vesa Hämäläinen, senior statistician at Statistics Finland.

Despite these changes, the Evangelical Lutheran religion remains the most widely studied subject in the religion and ethics category.

In lower secondary schools, 82 percent of pupils still study the Evangelical Lutheran religion. In primary schools, the share has dropped to 77 percent.

Pupils studying secular ethics, known in Finland as “elämänkatsomustieto” or worldview education, also increased in number.

Among pupils in years 1–6, 15 percent studied ethics in 2024. In years 7–9, the share was 11 percent.

“Compared to 2016, the share of ethics students has more than doubled in both primary and lower secondary levels,” Hämäläinen said.

(Helsinki Times)

Regional differences remain significant. In Uusimaa, the most populous region that includes Helsinki, both Islam and ethics are studied more than in any other part of the country.

One in five pupils in Uusimaa is a non-native speaker of Finnish or Swedish. This demographic shift is reflected in the distribution of religious and ethics education.

In Uusimaa’s primary schools, 9 percent of pupils studied Islam in 2024. The share studying ethics was 24.2 percent.