Finland Times

 

File Photo Lehtikuva.

The Finnish Immigration Service is increasing the training and schooling available for refugees.

 

Emphasis will be put on familiarising refugees with appropriate conduct. Other forms of training in this respect will also be enhanced, said Olli Snellman, a section head at the Immigration Service.

 

“There has previously been a lot of attention paid to [refugee] conduct. We must improve [the training], so that the message is clear. Both inside and outside the reception centres, the asylum seekers must behave well without interfering with others,” Snellman said.

 

Upon arrival at a reception centre, refugees will be issued with a large information packet, which reviews the basic expectations of the Finnish society. In addition, there are educational materials on sexuality, health, equality, economy and food. The multi-language training material has been donated by many organisations, and the teaching is the same in all reception centres, according to the instructions. Snellman holds the existing teaching materials to be of high quality.

 

Even so, the decision to increase the amount of teaching materials, videos and education for refugees has been made. This decision was made before the rape in Kempele, but now the schedule has been accelerated.

 

“The pressure of such issues has been high in the past, but now it’s higher than ever before,” remarked Snellman.

 

However, the Finnish Immigration Service points out that despite the information and education, someone can always be found who doesn’t follow the rules.

 

“The implementation and the materials provided are not, in my view, a failure. But we are aiming to improve them nonetheless,” Snellman said.