Day care
Kalajoki and Merijärvi offer places in both municipal and private day care. For children under school age, you can choose from the following options: home-care allowance (kotihoidon tuki), a place in municipal day care (day-care centres, family day care, group family day care) or private day care (based on a service voucher or private day care allowance). Day care fees are based on the family's income.
Make a written application for a day care place at least 4 months before the place is needed. If you need a day care place straight away due to a sudden job offer, or training or study place, apply immediately. In urgent cases, it takes two weeks to arrange a place in day care.
Applications and the required attachments are available from the day care office, the website of the Town of Kalajoki or Merijärvi's municipal office (kunnantoimisto).
Day care office (päivähoitotoimisto) (Kalajoki and Merijärvi)
Kalajoentie 5, 85100 Kalajoki
Tel. 044 469 1297, appointments for advice
Merijärvi municipal office (kunnantoimisto)
Kunnantie 1, 86220 Merijärvi
Read more: Day care.
linkkiTown of Kalajoki:
Day careFinnish | English | Russian
Pre-school education
Kalajoki
Pre-school education begins in the year prior to compulsory education, at the age of six in most cases. Attendance is voluntary. Pre-school education is arranged in schools and day care centres.
Children must be registered in advance for pre-school education. Registration forms are available from the Town of Kalajoki's website. The registration period is in January and pre-school education begins in August.
Pre-school registration forms for the Kalajoki area should be returned to the info point in the town hall (kaupungintalo) or, for the Himanka area, to Raumankari school (Raumankarin koulu).
You can also send the form by post to:
Kalajoki Town (Kalajoen kaupunki)/School office (koulutoimisto)
Kalajoentie 5, 85100 Kalajoki
or
Raumankari school (Raumankarin koulu)/School office (koulutoimisto)
Leipämäentie 8, 68100 Himanka
Merijärvi
In Merijärvi, pre-school education is provided within the local school. Children must be registered in advance for pre-school education. The registration period is in January and pre-school education begins in August. Register by contacting the school office (koulutoimisto).
Municipality of Merijärvi/School office
Vanhatie 106, 86220 Merijärvi
Tel. 044 477 6240
If necessary, you can also register later by contacting the school office.
Read more: Pre-school education.
linkkiTown of Kalajoki:
Pre-school educationFinnish
Basic education
Kalajoki
Kalajoki has 11 comprehensive schools. Children must be registered to begin their basic education at the beginning of the year in which they will start school. The contact information for schools in Kalajoki and further information on registration are available on the town's website.
Further details on basic education are available from the school office (koulutoimisto):
Kalajoentie 5, Kalajoki, 85100 Kalajoki
Tel. Director of Education (Sivistysjohtaja) 044 469 1236
Merijärvi
Merijärvi has one comprehensive school (Koivupuhto school – Koivupuhdon koulu) which teaches children from grades 0–9.
Merijärvi school office (koulutoimisto)
Merijärventie 106, 86220 Merijärvi
Tel. Principal/Director of Education (Rehtori / Sivistystoimenjohtaja), 044 477 6290
Read more: Basic education.
linkkiTown of Kalajoki:
Basic educationFinnish | English | Russian
Native language education for immigrants
Lessons in students' own native languages can be arranged according to need.
Enquire with the school offices (koulutoimistot) of Kalajoki and Merijärvi about native language education.
Vocational education and training
The Federation of Education in Jokilaaksot JEDU (Jokilaaksojen koulutuskuntayhtymä JEDU) offers a wide range of secondary vocational education and training in the area, based in seven educational institutions. Basic and adult education are provided in the Federation's colleges, in seven different fields of study.
At the Kalajoki Vocational College (Kalajoen ammattiopisto) in Kalajoki, you can study to become a professional in the metal, wood, construction, interior construction, fashion or tourism sectors.
Apply for place using an electronic form via the joint application system.
Kalajoki Vocational College (Kalajoen ammattiopisto)
Opintie 2, 85100 Kalajoki
Tel. 040 3120 400
Read more: Vocational education and training.
linkkiThe Federation of Education in Jokilaaksot JEDU:
The Federation of Education in Jokilaaksot JEDUFinnish | English
Upper secondary school
Upper secondary schools in Kalajoki offer a broad range of courses, with specialisms including the fine arts, morning training sessions in various sports, and International Studies.
The upper secondary school provides a broad-based education. You can apply for upper secondary school through the joint application system. Admission to upper secondary school is based on the student's earlier educational performance. If you have a foreign report card, apply for a place in upper secondary school during the joint application period directly from the school at which you mean to study. It is also possible to complete upper secondary school as a private student without attending any courses, just by taking exams. Education providers, such as upper secondary schools, can apply for state financial support for the tuition of students whose mother tongue is other than Finnish.
For further information on Kalajoki upper secondary school (Kalajoen lukio), see the school website.
Read more: Upper secondary school.
linkkiTown of Kalajoki:
Kalajoki Upper Secondary SchoolFinnish | English | Russian
Young people without a place of study
If you are under 29 years of age and do not have a place of study or job, you can seek help from the activating service for young people (nuorten aktivointipalvelu) of the Jelppiverkko network service.
An outreach youth worker will assess the young person's situation alongside him or her, and motivate the youngster to become active. The youth worker will provide guidance, support and advice, and seek to direct the young person towards the right services. Youth outreach workers can be contacted according to need, for example in educational institutions. Where necessary, youngsters can also be provided with one-on-one coaching.
Outreach youth work and one-on-one coaching in Kalajoki form part of the Kalajoki Academy's (Kalajoki Akatemia) activities. The activities run in Kalajoki and Merijärvi form part of the regional Jelppiverkko network. Jelppiverkko provides individual and systematically designed services, which are free of charge and fully voluntary for the young people using them.
linkkiJelppiverkko:
Activating service for young peopleFinnish
Higher education
Vocational higher education in the region is arranged by Centria University of Applied Sciences (Centria-ammattikorkeakoulu) in Ylivieska and Oulu University of Applied Sciences (Oulun ammattikorkeakoulu) in Oulainen. At the Ylivieska unit, students can follow courses in technology, social work, the humanities and pedagogy, tourism and business studies. At the Oulainen unit, they can study subjects belonging to the health sector. Apply for a place using an electronic application via the national joint application system for universities of applied science.
Centria University of Applied Sciences (Centria-ammattikorkeakoulu)
Vierimaantie 7, 84100 Ylivieska
Tel. 08 499 2500
Oulu University of Applied Sciences (Oulun ammattikorkeakoulu)
Oulainen campus/Oulainen unit of the School of Health and Social Care (Terveysalan Oulaisten alueyksikkö)
Kuntotie 2, 86300 Oulainen
Tel. 010 272 1046
Read more: Higher education.
linkkiCentria University of Applied Sciences:
Centria University of Applied SciencesFinnish | English
linkkiOulu University of Applied Sciences:
Oulainen Campus / Department of Health CareFinnish
Other study opportunities
The local Adult Education Centres – Kalajoki Adult Education Centre (Kalajoen kansalaisopisto) and Jokihelmi Adult Education Centre (Jokihelmen opisto) – offer a range of learning environments and courses. Jokihelmi arranges courses in the Finnish language and culture for immigrants.
Kalajoki Adult Education Centre (Kalajoen kansalaisopisto) (Kalajoki Region)
Kalajoentie 24, 85100 Kalajoki
Tel. 044 469 1444
Jokihelmi Adult Education Centre (Jokihelmen opisto) (Merijärvi region)
Lallunniementie 2, 86600 Haapavesi
Tel. 044 759 1503
The Christian College of Kalajoki (Kalajoen Kristillinen Opisto) is a local provider of vocational education, preparatory education for vocational studies and general education. In addition, the College runs a variety of short courses in different subjects
Christian College of Kalajoki (Kalajoen Kristillinen Opisto)
Opintie 2, 85100 Kalajoki
Tel. 08 463 9200
Further details are available from the College's website.
Read more: Other study opportunities.
linkkiTown of Kalajoki:
Kalajoki Adult Education CentreFinnish | English | Russian
linkkiJokihelmi Adult Education Centre:
Jokihelmi Adult Education CentreFinnish
linkkiKalajoki Christian College:
Kalajoki Christian CollegeFinnish