Education Minister Li Andersson (Left) said on Saturday that she wanted schools to avoid distance learning this academic year if at all possible, and condemned protests by anti-vaccine activists at schools in Helsinki.
On Friday police detained three protesters at a school in Helsinki after they tried to disrupt vaccination of 12-15-year-olds.
Finland is offering Covid vaccines to children aged twelve and above, with the decision on whether or not to take the vaccine made by the child.
"When you're talking about school pupils then I strongly disapprove of adults who come to disrupt pupils and teachers during the school day, especially during the pandemic when outsiders are not welcome in schools for any reason," said Andersson on an Yle talk show on Saturday morning.
"It is obvious that pupils have the right to receive the correct information, based on science, and that they have the right to a peaceful school environment," continued Andersson. "Us adults should have enough sense to realise that regardless of our own opinions, we should leave children and young people alone."
Andersson also said she expected the Regional Administrative Agency in Southern Finland (Avi) to row back on its decision to restrict indoor hobbies this week.
The restrictions would make it very difficult for sports clubs to offer hobbies to children and others, if implemented, and were criticised strongly by politicians in the government.
Andersson also emphasised that distance learning should be the last resort for schools during the pandemic, and said that local authorities can make those decisions themselves based on the epidemic situation in their area.
"The government's guiding principle is that restrictions on children and young people's contact teaching and hobbies should be the last resort," said Andersson. "If restrictions need to be stepped up in the near future, they should be clearly directed at the adult population."