JHL (01.08.2013 - Heikki Jokinen) Even though July is the deep holiday month in Finland - the month most Finns choose to take their holidays - JHL made a determined effort to make their presence felt in a place where many people go to visit. JHL took an active part for example at the SuomiAreena by setting up a stand and organising a public debate on early childhood education.
SuomiAreena is a public debate forum, taking place in the city of Pori on the Finnish west coast. The five-day event featured 125 debates with 600 speakers. The discussions mainly focus on politics, social issues and culture. This year the event attracted a total of 22,000 people who came to hear what the speakers had to say. The event coincides with a major jazz festival, Pori Jazz.
The JHL stand on the central pedestrian street of Pori focused on providing information on JHL work and distributing union material. Considerable interest was shown: on the first day alone some 700 people visited the stand.
The volunteers who had given up their free time to man the stand were also on hand to give a realistic picture of various professions represented by JHL. This year JHL has a theme year, which is centred on early childhood education and much of time the stand focused on this topic. JHL represents 22,000 professionals working in early childhood education, out of a total of 55,000 working in this field.
In the public debate on early childhood education the Minister of Education, Krista Kiuru, and vice chairperson of the Centre Party, Tuomo Puumalainen MP took part. The JHL president Jarkko Eloranta chaired the debate.
Both politicians said that the issue of early childhood education is an important one from the point of view of equality. At the moment 98 per cent of children are signed up for pre-school education and it is seen as something that gives them a better start for school.
Other topics under discussion were the size of children groups in day care and the training of those working in early childhood education.
The Ministry of Education and Culture is currently preparing reform of the legislation concerning early childhood education. JHL demands that all children should have the subjective right to day care, as participation in day care levels out the differences in a child’s later success at school.
Also, day care fees must be kept at a moderate level, insist JHL. Exorbitant or high fees will inevitably lessen a child’s right to day care in real terms.