Children in Finland in general had a positive experience during the state of emergency that shut down schools and moved learning online from mid-March to mid-May. According to a survey of 4,000 daycare and primary school children released by the children’s NGO Unicef in Finland, few said the period was a bad time for them.
The survey found that 71 percent of children in grades 3 - 6 said they fared well during distance learning, compared to a few percent who said the opposite. The children who said that they had done reasonably well or poorly said that they worried about the epidemic, were bored and lonely and that distance learning was stressful.
About eight percent of 3 -6-graders said that they found learning, homework and instructions difficult during distance learning, while seven percent said they needed help with school assignments and homework.
"You could say that in Finland, decision-makers as well as schools, daycares and families did very well to protect kids’ wellbeing during the state of emergency," education specialist Mia Malama of the Finnish Committee for Unicef said in a statement.
"However it is important to ensure that each child gets the support they need for distance learning," she added.
Otherwise, the children surveyed said that they enjoyed spending more time with their parents and families. However they missed seeing their friends and grandparents and even their teachers.
Unicef: Involve kids in planning for the new normal
A majority of 3-6-graders said they had received adequate information about the epidemic and the state of emergency. However younger children in daycare often did not understand the situation.
Children who tuned in to news reporting about the pandemic said they feared their loved ones might get sick and die. They also said they worried about what would happen to others around the world.
"It is possible that a state of emergency will become the new normal. We should listen to the views of children and young people about how life should be organised in the future," Malama said.
She added that it is important to ensure that young and older children know where they can turn if they need someone to listen.
"Schools should invest more in wellness education and the skills [needed] to live in an uncertain changing world," she noted.
The survey was conducted in May and June after younger pupils returned to school. Students in grades 3 - 6 answered the online survey independently during class. However younger children in daycare, preschool and grades 1 and 2 responded primarily via group interviews.