On 24 May 2013, the President of the Republic of Finland appointed new ministers for the Ministries of Education and Science, Health and Social Services, as well as Housing and Communications. Krista Kiuru, who had been in office as Minister of Housing and Communications since 2011, will be replacing Jukka Gustafsson as Minister of Education and Science.

Krista Kiuru has been a Member of Parliament from Pori, Western Finland, since 2007 and was appointed as first vice chair of the party council within the Social Democratic Party in 2010, before becoming the 1st Deputy Party Leader in 2012. Prior to being appointed MP, Kiuru worked as a teacher and in student guidance duties. As Minister of Education and Science, she believes “that Finnish schools teach our students the future of our country every day. The future is the only inheritance we can leave for the forthcoming generations.”

According to the Finland Times, former education minister Jukka Gustafsson, who significantly contributed to the development of training and vocational education, deplores the decision, as a number of his work remains still unfinished.

Finnish Government