A widespread technical failure disrupted the start of Finland’s autumn matriculation exam period on Monday, halting the mother tongue reading comprehension test in at least 20 upper secondary schools.
The problem emerged shortly after 9am, when exam supervisors began receiving error messages from the digital examination system warning that server disk space was running out.
According to the Matriculation Examination Board, the issue affected the Abitti system, used nationwide to administer digital exams. Schools were instructed to pause the test while technical support investigated the cause.
In Otaniemi Upper Secondary School in Espoo, the exam had not resumed by midday. Headteacher Sinikka Luoma-Mattila told Helsingin Sanomat that the error appeared soon after the test began.
“At first, we thought the fault was in our own system,” she said. “But it quickly became clear the problem was nationwide.”
Staff at Otaniemi focused on keeping students calm as the disruption extended into the afternoon. With the exam session expected to last six hours, schools also began making contingency plans to support candidates, including providing additional food and supplies.
“The students are naturally disappointed,” Luoma-Mattila said. “There’s nothing they can do now except wait.”
The Matriculation Examination Board confirmed on its website that examinees would receive full time compensation for the duration of the interruption. Schools were advised not to shut down local servers or student terminals, and to report the issue through the Abitti support channel.
Tiina Tähkä, Secretary General of the board, told newspaper Hufvudstadbladet that approximately 20 schools were affected by the error.
The mother tongue exam marks the beginning of Finland’s autumn matriculation exam season. The test is divided into two parts: reading comprehension and written expression. Monday’s disrupted session involved the reading portion, while the writing component is scheduled for 26 September.
Students sitting the reading exam typically have six hours to complete it, with the possibility of additional time in certain cases.
The Abitti system, developed and maintained by the Matriculation Examination Board, is the digital platform through which all matriculation exams in Finland are administered. Candidates bring their own computers, which are connected to a local network in the examination hall.
While schools carry out technical checks in advance of each exam day, the scale and sudden nature of Monday’s server issue took staff by surprise.
No indication has been given as to whether the exam will be rescheduled. The Board said that schools would be notified once the system was stable enough to resume.
In Helsinki and other regions, school administrators reported similar experiences, with invigilators and technical staff working to diagnose the failure.
The Ministry of Education has not issued a separate statement.
HT
