On Wednesday 5th April Borrisokane Community College, staff, students and members of the local community where delighted to welcome Ms Jaana Teckenberg, the Finnish ambassador to Ireland, to their school. Finland is currently celebrating Suomi Finland 100 similar to Ireland’s 1916 celebrations last year. Finland celebrates their 100th year anniversary of independence this year with the theme of “together”. The ambassador, as part of the celebrations, is travelling nationwide meeting local people, children and lord mayors to promote the Finnish expertise and experiences. She also hopes to improve trade relations and contact between Ireland and Finland.
Ms Teckenberg was warmly welcomed by the Deputy Principal, Ms Suzanne McMahon and student representatives from the council and prefect body. Students had baked Finnish style cookies and a range of artisan treats for her to enjoy prior to giving a short talk. She enjoyed thoroughly meeting and greeting all the staff and students.
She spoke to the students at length about the similarities and differences between the two countries. The students had prepared questions as part of their CSPE projects under the guidance of their teacher Ms Rachel Aherne. Ms Teckenberg started her 4 year term of office in January 2016. Prior to this she has had vast experience working as a Diplomat in many places including London, Moscow, Geneva and Brussels. Ireland is her first place to work as an ambassador.
Similarities with Ireland included the population of both countries having in region of 5 million people and Finland also has highly populated areas similar to Dublin and others like parts of the west more sparse. She spoke of the love of the Finnish people for coffee and saunas! Finland suffered many wars and defeats in their struggle for independence.
A question posed by students was the difference in the education systems. Finland has achieved huge success in PISA studies during the last decade. This has been a great joy to educational practitioners. Students in Finland receive very little homework and light evaluation processes. She spoke of her own son’s introduction into the Irish educational system last year and his dismay and having to wear a uniform! However she also praised the Irish education system, the wide flexible curriculum, high standards of teaching and learning and a more disciplined environment.
She outlined the equality that exists for women in Finland within the parliament with 42% representation. Also five out of the 14 ministers are female, 45 % are female ambassadors and 56 % are female Diplomats. However similarly to Ireland less women than men hold positions of high ranking in many companies.
The students were eager to ask her opinion of the recent Brexit decision. She expressed her surprise and disappointment at the result. She suggested that perhaps a referendum was not the best way at times to resolve certain issues. She hopes that Ireland will remain in the EU and emphasised the benefits she has witnessed in both Finland and Ireland from being members of a greater union.
She finished her visit with a tour of the school. She was highly impressed by the state of the art facility whilst appreciating its huge historical significance. She was amazed at the wide range of sporting facilities and open areas available to students supporting their wellbeing. She continued on her visit to Terryglass where she had a lunch meeting with the chairperson of Nenagh Town Council, Ms Phyll Bugler. She also travelled to Borrisokane library to meet the Lord Mayor Mr Darragh Mc Kenna and local primary school children.
