Statement: Language learning should be encouraged and rewarded, not entail extra costs

Bilingualism is a richness that requires constant effort to maintain. The current government has set the ambitions for bilingualism in Finland in the National Language Strategy updated in 2021. The updated strategy, which was part of the government’s election promise, includes several measures to strengthen the position of both national languages. However, the extent to which they are implemented will ultimately be reflected in the measures taken in the coming parliamentary terms. Parallel language use is an important part of Finnish history, tradition and culture, but the issues are fundamentally about the basic rights of citizens to health care, public services and information in their mother tongue. 

Language is one of the most important components in welding us together under a common identity. It is a fundamental factor in our ability to think, express ourselves and interact with society. The fact that we have two legal linguistic identities in this country should be seen as a privilege of diversity, not a problem.  

One of the pillars of bilingualism in society is that the public sector can treat both language groups equally, if not at a municipal level, then at least at a state level. In the state administration, the low percentage of employees with Swedish as their mother tongue (3.8% in 2017) has been discussed for a long time. In order to actualize the Swedish language offer within the state administration, it is essential to strengthen the language skills. The basic prerequisites for civil servants are excellent proficiency in Finnish, but only a satisfactory proficiency in Swedish.  In most cases, the current language test offered as part of higher education is not enough to obtain a certificate attesting to excellent Finnish language proficiency; a special language test is required.  The total cost of the written and oral language test for excellent language proficiency is €454 and even more if the test has to be retaken. Since the language requirement for Swedish proficiency is satisfactory, positions in the civil service do not require an additional language test for native Finnish speakers. The low threshold for Swedish proficiency combined with the low percentage of employees with Swedish as their mother tongue does not leave much room for linguistic diversity. 

According to a survey conducted by (Think-Tank Agenda, 2019), 75% of the thousands of Finnish-Swedish respondents felt that the linguistic climate in Finland was poor or very poor. The results were guided by opinions on how Finnish-Swedish people are perceived to be treated in society and were spiced up with several examples of discrimination in everyday life. Although the government’s national language strategy can only make recommendations outside the state administration, the attitudes reflected in the central, regional and local administrations are an essential part of how that message is delivered. 

Language learning should be encouraged and rewarded, not entail extra costs. The Finnish language requirement should be evaluated if it can be relaxed for certain positions. Although the working language is Finnish, excellent knowledge is not a prerequisite for a profession where customer matters are handled in Swedish. For positions requiring excellent Finnish language skills, the possibility of taking the language test in connection with university studies should be made available free of charge.

For more information
Studentunion vid Yrkeshögskolan Novia – Novium
Lina Johansson
Chairperson of the Board
so-novium@novia.fi
+358 453430777

Arcada Student Union – ASK
Abbe Karlsson
Board member
abbe@asken.fi

The statement is part of ASK’s and Novium’s joint parliamentary election campaign “Kaikille samma!“.