This article is a response to an article published in Helsingin Sanomat on 11 October 2025, in which Tere Sammallahti proposed that teachers should create their own learning materials. (Article: Helsingin Sanomat)
Tere Sammallahti's idea in Helsingin Sanomat that teachers should create their own learning materials sounds like an enthusiastic community effort. But community efforts are a poor model. They're expensive, unequal, and take teachers' time away from where value is truly created — meeting students, providing individualized support, and guiding transversal skills.
In Finland, teachers spend an enormous amount of time annually creating and adapting their own materials. This work often remains an invisible cost: it takes time away from the core task of teaching and increases teachers' workload, while the quality of materials and consistency of instruction vary between schools. Professionally produced, centralized learning materials don't just reduce duplicate work — they raise the quality of teaching and ensure that all learners receive up-to-date, equitable instruction.
In countries that have performed better in PISA rankings — such as Singapore, Japan, and Estonia — learning materials are produced and curated professionally. Ministries approve textbooks or maintain national portals where content quality and pedagogical structure are ensured. The teacher acts as a coach and guide, not a content creator. This division of labor is clear, efficient, and above all, supportive of learning.
AI makes this model even more sensible. Professional production organizations can now create high-quality, continuously updated, and data-driven materials faster than ever before. Content can be personalized to the learner's needs, so teachers don't need to spend time explaining things the student already knows. Teachers' time is freed for what algorithms cannot replace: guidance, motivation, and collaborative learning.
Just as parliament relies on committee expert work, schools need a clear division of labor. When professionals handle material production and teachers focus on guiding learners, the entire system works more efficiently and equitably. Shared standards and sensible joint procurement raise quality and support educational equity.
Finland will not win the competence race by hesitating on AI adoption or outsourcing learning material production to every individual teacher. The fastest path to better learning outcomes is professionally produced, data-driven learning materials — and time for teachers to focus on their students.
Authors:
Jussi Kajala (3DBear Oy)
Pekka Koponen (Infinit Capital Oy)
Jukka Sormunen (Mobie Oy)
Risto Vahanen (Finnish Global Education Solutions)