"Foreign Language Too Hard"—Kids Lose School, Parents Struggle

Source: OT-Team(G)，上游新闻

  Reports from March 25 reveal that parents are facing a harsh reality as their children struggle to learn Finnish, ultimately losing out on school opportunities. 

Many Chinese families have been drawn to the promise of Finland's "free high school" program, which not only provides tuition-free education but also offers the potential for university admission and even residency. 

However, after signing contracts and paying large sums to education agencies, parents and students have found that learning Finnish and passing entrance exams is far more difficult than advertised. Students with only a middle school education level often struggle to pass, and even those who do may face challenges in interviews. If they fail multiple times, returning to China becomes their only option.

• Parents Disillusioned After Costly Investment

Ms. Cao from Chongqing is one of many parents who found themselves in a difficult situation after enrolling their children in this program. On October 31, 2023, she signed a contract with an education agency based in Nanjing, paying €26,000 for the service. Her son started online Finnish language courses in November and arrived at a study base in Helsinki in March 2024. However, after the base closed for vacation in June, he returned to China to continue studying on his own. Despite multiple attempts, he failed the required language exams.

By the end of 2024, Ms. Cao discovered that at least 60 other students who applied at the same time as her son faced similar issues. The education agency blamed the students for not working hard enough. "I only learned from other parents that Finnish is extremely difficult to master. Expecting a middle school student to become proficient in four to six months is almost impossible," she said. "Even if they pass the language test, there are still risks in the interview stage."

According to Ms. Cao, the agency misrepresented the difficulty of learning Finnish and exaggerated the admission rate, leaving many students without a school to attend. The ordeal has taken a toll on her son's mental well-being and disrupted his education, forcing the family to find an alternative school in China.

• Legal and Academic Challenges

A journalist discovered that the Nanjing-based education agency's registered address did not match its actual operations. Instead, a digital technology company occupied the listed location and denied any connection to the agency. An agency representative later confirmed that its headquarters were in Helsinki, while the Nanjing branch mainly handled payments for Chinese parents. However, contracts and payment records showed that agreements were made with the Nanjing company, which did not issue proper invoices. Attempts to seek help from local authorities were unsuccessful due to the agency's unclear business presence.

The agency advertised a high success rate, claiming 96% of students could pass Finnish exams in eight months and secure admission to free high schools. However, past participants reported otherwise. A Chinese woman who joined the program described the classes as large and poorly structured, leaving most students unprepared. Many failed the required exams and returned to China, while even those who passed often struggled with interviews or faced rejection from Finnish high schools.

In 2022, Finland's Ministry of Education issued a warning that such programs were private business ventures, not officially recognized. Education experts caution parents to verify study-abroad claims through official sources to avoid misleading promises.