Happy 60th, Porkkala Upper Secondary School! Are we ready to keep investing in education and culture?

Cover photo: Johanna Fleming and Lauri Lavanti at the topping-out ceremony of Lyyra, the House of Culture and Education.

Porkkala Upper Secondary School (Porkkalan lukio, the lukio being the Finnish school for ages 16–19 that prepares students for the matriculation examination and further study) celebrates 60 years of operation next Saturday, 14 November. The day includes a guided visit to the school’s current premises and an evening celebration at Majvik. A large group of the school’s former and current teachers and students, together with invited guests, will gather to recall the decades gone by. Over the years Porkkalan lukio has kept its place as a solid, good-quality general upper secondary school. A strong sense of community has always been typical of the school, the range of courses has been varied, and the teaching has been valued and of high quality. Student guidance and learning support have been in capable hands, and the school has worked together with partners both nationally and internationally.

“I studied at Porkkalan lukio from 1987 to 1990. During my years there the principal was Erkki Pärkkä. Although the school had no formal language track, the choice of languages was wide and the teachers were experienced and inspiring. Besides Swedish as a long-syllabus language, I studied English, Russian and German. My language teachers were Toini Lehtonen, Anja Savolainen, Anna Rajamäki and Sirkka Löppönen. Our class was led by Marja Borg, a teacher of biology and geography, who was also our student counsellor,” recalls Johanna Fleming.

In the late 1980s, apart from languages, there was very little choice within upper secondary studies, courses were mostly taken in fixed classes, and almost all of the students were from Kirkkonummi. The other option for further study open to young people in Kirkkonummi was the municipality’s own vocational school, which had just opened its doors and is now part of Omnia, the Joint Authority of Education in Espoo Region.

A new era begins in the history of Porkkalan lukio on 1 January 2027, when Lyyra, the House of Culture and Education (Sivistyksen talo Lyyra), is completed and the school, led by principal Akseli Salmi, moves into its fine new premises together with the Swedish-language upper secondary school, the music institute, the visual arts school and the adult education centre. If there was ever a time for Kirkkonummi to commit strong resources to education, lifelong learning and culture, it is now. We must make sure that within Lyyra’s fine walls we can offer not only high-quality upper secondary teaching but also a rich range of adult education courses and cultural experiences. Investing in a higher level of education and in the course offering of the adult education institutes, together with a varied cultural programme, supports residents’ wellbeing and also attracts new residents to Kirkkonummi.

Why invest in education and culture even when the economy tightens?

Even as Kirkkonummi’s financial situation tightens, we must ensure sufficient and long-term funding for education and culture. Education and culture have value in themselves, but research shows that they are also a foundation of the economy. Skills, education and mental wellbeing support the municipality’s employment and economic development, and above all they are investments far into our municipality’s future.

Once more, congratulations to Porkkalan lukio, and best wishes to Kirkkonummi as a municipality of education and culture!