The Education Trade Union OAJ has called for teachers to be given more resources to create an orderly classroom teaching environment.

Speaking on Yle's Aamu-tv breakfast programme, Education Minister Jukka Gustaffson said that the National Board of Education is working on a proposal that would teachers the legal authority to intervene in child rearing problems by engaging in discussion with parents.

"According the proposal the child rearing discussion would have a legal basis and could take place outside of teaching hours," Gustafsson outlined.

The Minister added that it would be of utmost importance for schools to lay out their own discipline programmes.

As an example, he said that a warning given to a student could be flagged as a serious matter and could lead to the development of a teaching plan for the student involved.

Gustafsson promised that a ministerial committee would review issues relating to order in schools this autumn.

He said the outcome could form part of a proposal to sharpen basic education legislation as it relates to discipline aimed at enhancing education, making teachers' work easier and reinforcing their authority in the classroom.