In Vantaa schools, face coverings are no longer permitted for religious reasons. The move follows a debate last year over Islamic face coverings in Finnish schools.
The city informed parents of the measure on Monday via Wilma, the school communication platform. According to the message, pupils must be identifiable throughout the school day.
Ilkka Kalo, who heads education for the city, said the new rules were deemed necessary after some pupils covered their faces at school.
"Otherwise, we won't know who is in class. We are responsible for safety. Another consideration is student assessment — we have to know who is who," he explained.
Cold protection okay
The rule applies to the entire school day, both indoors and outdoors.
However, during icy winter recesses or outdoor gym, pupils may cover their faces when necessary.
Over the longer term, Kalo noted, there have been isolated incidents of pupils wearing balaclavas at school. Vantaa has roughly 25,000 children in 44 comprehensive schools.
"Pupils come up with all sorts of things. Some have even worn gas masks. There have also been instances of face coverings for religious reasons. This policy addresses those cases," Kalo said.
Iltalehti was the first to report the news. Vantaa is Finland's fourth-largest city and has its highest percentage of foreign language speakers, making up nearly 30 percent of its population.
