Ministry of Education to reclaim nearly 2.8 million euros from Turku over misallocated IB funding
The Ministry of Education and Culture has decided to reclaim approximately 2.8 million euros in state subsidies from the City of Turku, including interest, after determining that the funding was granted for students who were not under the city’s direct educational responsibility. The total amount to be reclaimed is €2,837,982 (Yle).
The issue emerged when Turku applied for a permit to organise English-language upper secondary education in 2023. During the ministry’s review, it was discovered that the city had received funding for students enrolled in the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme at Turku International School’s upper secondary level—despite the fact that the education was, in practice, arranged by the University of Turku’s Turku Normal School (Helsingin Sanomat).
According to the ministry, state funding is allocated only to the education provider with the appropriate licence. While the City of Turku holds a valid upper secondary education provision licence, it does not cover English-language IB education. The ministry’s press release clarifies that the city’s current permit includes five special education tasks but excludes IB programmes (Yle).
Director General Petri Lempinen of the Ministry of Education and Culture told Yle that the investigation was triggered by Turku’s permit application, which led to the uncovering of the funding arrangement. "The matter came to light when the city of Turku applied for a permit to organise English-language upper secondary education last year. We began to question the issue and investigate it, at which point this purchasing arrangement for IB upper secondary students came to light," Lempinen said.
The ministry had already indicated in March that it was considering reclaiming the funds. The City of Turku had previously submitted a written explanation regarding the matter before the final decision was made (Helsingin Sanomat). The decision may still be appealed to the Ministry of Education and Culture.
