Violence against teachers and education staff has increased in Finland, with incidents reported most often in comprehensive schools and early childhood education, according to a new workplace survey published by the Trade Union of Education in Finland (OAJ).

The union said the findings point to growing safety concerns in schools and childcare settings, despite improvements in overall job satisfaction and workplace leadership.

One in five respondents working in comprehensive schools said they had been subjected to violence by a pupil. The figure rose to 21 per cent in the 2026 survey, up from 17 per cent in 2024.

The situation was more severe in early childhood education, where one in three respondents said they had experienced violence from children.

“Unsafe learning and teaching environments must be addressed. The current trend is deeply concerning,” OAJ president Katarina Murto said in a statement.

“In addition to the wellbeing of education staff, we must safeguard a peaceful environment for teaching and learning.”

OAJ said Finland still lacks common national procedures for preventing violence in education settings and renewed its call for a dedicated occupational safety programme for the sector.

According to the union, preparation of such a programme began last spring following its lobbying efforts, but work should now move forward without delay.

The survey also revealed wide differences between education sectors.

Respondents working in upper secondary schools reported the highest levels of job satisfaction, while no violence was reported in that sector.

The weakest results came from vocational education, where job satisfaction remained lowest and more teachers reported plans to leave the profession than in the previous survey.

OAJ’s director of legal affairs, Ulla Walli, linked those findings to government spending cuts affecting vocational education.

“The cuts made during this government’s term are reflected directly in working conditions in vocational education,” Walli said.

She added that students had already experienced reduced classroom teaching as a result.

Despite the increase in violence, the survey found several indicators had improved.

More than four out of five respondents said they received support from colleagues, while communication, equal treatment and the consideration of staff views had all improved since the previous survey.

Seventy per cent said their workplace encouraged new ideas and maintained a supportive atmosphere.

Walli said OAJ’s training for workplace representatives and occupational safety delegates had helped strengthen working communities.

The survey also highlighted continuing pressure on staff.

Three quarters of respondents said they experienced work-related stress at least occasionally.

At the same time, employers were investing less in professional development than two years earlier, according to the findings.

Walli warned that teachers needed continued training as technology and wider changes in society reshaped education.

“Teachers’ skills must not fall behind those in other sectors,” she said.

She said greater investment in continuing education would help reduce intentions to leave the profession while supporting the quality of education for children and young people.

OAJ carries out its workplace survey every two years to measure wellbeing, working conditions and safety across Finland’s education sector.

The latest survey included 1,667 respondents selected from OAJ’s membership. Participants included teachers, daycare centre directors, school principals, managers and researchers from early childhood education through to universities.

HT