Mar 13 • 07:26 UTC 🇫🇮 Finland Yle Uutiset

One high school sells a laptop to a student for 70 euros – everyone should get it, says the high school students' union

High school students in some Finnish municipalities can purchase their school-issued laptops for a nominal fee, but the lack of uniformity across the country has raised concerns in the student community.

In Finland, high school students in certain municipalities are presented with an opportunity to buy their school-issued laptops at a minimal cost. For instance, in Hämeenlinna, students can purchase a three-year-old laptop for just 70 euros upon graduation. However, this option is not universally available across all municipalities, leading to confusion and frustration among high school students. The high school students' union advocates for the importance of making this option available to all students regardless of their municipality, emphasizing that it could significantly benefit students' academic futures and opportunities for advanced studies.

Pietari Meriläinen, the chairman of the high school students' union, articulated the urgency of this issue, highlighting that many graduates find themselves in a precarious position where they must purchase a new laptop to apply for further education entrance exams. Such a situation underscores the financial burden placed on students who, after finishing high school, are expected to invest in essential educational tools without immediate financial support. The union argues that enabling students to acquire their laptops at a subsidized price would alleviate some of these pressures and facilitate smoother transitions into higher education.

Moreover, current students like Viljami Lautala from Lappeenranta's Lyseon High School reflect on the pivotal role of laptops in their educational experience, noting the extensive reliance on technology for accessing learning materials. Lautala, who spends around five hours daily preparing for matriculation exams using his laptop, underscores that the absence of such equipment would have hindered his study efforts significantly. The ongoing discussion around this policy highlights the broader issues of educational equity and resource availability across Finland's educational landscape, calling for a more standardized approach to ensuring that all students have access to the necessary tools for successful academic transitions.

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