Request for absence from preschool education

• The Basic Education Act has been amended by law (1040/2014), which came into force on 1 January 2015, which makes it compulsory to participate in preschool education. From 1 August 2015, children must participate in one year of preschool education or other activities through which the curriculum for preschool education is achieved during the year before compulsory education begins.
• Compulsory education begins in the year when the child turns seven. (Section 25)
• At present, children who are covered by extended basic education must participate in preschool education in the year in which compulsory education begins. In addition, a child who is covered by extended compulsory education has the right to receive preschool education in the year the child turns five (so-called earlier preschool)
• As before, children who start basic education one year later than specified have the right to attend preschool education also in the year when basic education begins.
• The child’s parent or guardian must ensure that the child participates in preschool education or other activities through which the goals for preschool education are achieved. The law does not stipulate that a child is obliged to participate in the preschool education arranged in accordance with the Basic Education Act. The child’s parent or guardian may also decide that the child shall receive home education that meets the objectives of preschool education or participate in education arranged by someone other than an education provider referred to in the Basic Education Act.
• The preschool education that children receive outside the official preschool system is considered to correspond to home schooling, even if it has been organised in the same way as preschool education and corresponds to the goals for preschool education set out in the basics of the preschool education curriculum.

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