Education Committee proposes €460.5m 2027 budget, keeps class sizes steady

The Education and Training Committee has presented its 2027 budget proposal, based on the city board's 22 June 2026 framework. It aims to secure basic teaching services in Tampere while keeping average class sizes unchanged. The proposal arrives amid an estimated €165 million operating shortfall projected for 2027, with other committees already outlining priorities for the coming budget earlier budget projections. It also follows recent curriculum updates approved in June affecting basic education recent curriculum changes.

Operating expenses are set at €460.5 million, operating income at €24.5 million and investments at €3.2 million. Net costs would be €7.8 million higher than the revised 2026 budget, a rise of 1.8 percent. The package allows for an €8.1 million impact from local pay settlements, €3.9 million in rent for new and renovated facilities and €4.4 million to cover legislative changes, growing service needs and rising costs. The committee will strengthen pupil-specific support, expand preparatory instruction and adjust services to rising pupil numbers as it prepares for the national learning support reform.

Early childhood education will continue its staffing-structure reform and gain three full-time management posts. Slightly smaller-than-expected demand trims that part of the budget by about €4 million. The package also contains roughly €2 million of new savings measures, cutting furniture, supplies and ICT costs; tightening group formation rules to preserve average class sizes; refining meal service billing; and improving interpreting efficiency.

"We wanted to secure the basics of education so daycare and schools can function and teaching remains high quality," Deputy Mayor for Educational Services Anne-Mari Jussila says. The committee will decide on extra measures on 8 September 2026, with the mayor’s budget and the city council's final decision on the 2027 budget to follow in November.