Lillipods NorthStar welcomes Finland’s Minister of Education

On Friday, 28 November 2025, Lillipods NorthStar had the honour of welcoming a distinguished delegation from Finland, led by Mr Anders Adlercreutz, Minister of Education. The visit marked an encouraging milestone in Lillipods’ journey to bring the best of Finnish early childhood education to Singaporean families.

Curious questions and Nordic stories: Mr Anders Adlercreutz, Finland’s Minister of Education, talks with the children about life in Finland.

A distinguished Finnish delegation

The delegation included senior representatives from the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture and the Embassy of Finland in Singapore:

Finnish Ministry

• Mr Anders Adlercreutz, Minister of Education

• Ms Anita Westerholm, Special Adviser to the Minister of Education

• Ms Jaana Palojärvi, Director for International Affairs

Embassy of Finland in Singapore

• Mr Juha Markkanen, Ambassador

• Mr Mika Tirronen, Counsellor of Education and Science

• Ms Roosa Minkkilä, Intern

The visit was hosted at Lillipods NorthStar, with children and teachers from both Lillipods NorthStar and Lillipods North View participating in the programme.

Our distinguished guests, from left to right: Mr Mika Tirronen (Counsellor of Education and Science), Ms Jaana Palojärvi (Director for International Affairs), Mr Juha Markkanen (Ambassador), Mr Anders Adlercreutz (Minister of Education) and Ms Anita Westerholm (Special Adviser to the Minister of Education).

A short but meaningful programme

The visit took place from 11.30 am to 11.45 am and was designed to give the delegation a warm welcome and a brief glimpse into life at Lillipods.

The programme included:

• Welcome by HEI Schools
  Mr Sami Makinen, Director of Partnerships at HEI Schools, opened the visit with a short introduction. His remarks highlighted the shared commitment between Finnish partners and Lillipods to bring high quality, research-driven early childhood education to Singapore.

• Why Lillipods
  This was followed by a brief welcome from Ping, who shared the story behind Lillipods Singapore. She spoke about Lillipods’ aim to combine the strengths of Finnish and Singaporean early education, and to offer this in a way that is accessible to all families.
  Lillipods is still at an early stage of this journey. We are a small organisation, but we have big dreams for what early years education can be. The presence of the Minister and his team was both an encouragement and a reminder of the responsibility that comes with those dreams.

• Performances by the children
  The highlight of the visit was the children’s performances.

  • Children from Lillipods North View performed “Fried Rice Paradise”, bringing lively rhythm and a distinctly local flavour to the morning.

  • Children from Lillipods NorthStar presented “听我说谢谢你 (Ting Wo Shuo Xie Xie Ni)”, a gentle and heartfelt song of gratitude.

  The performances were simple, joyful and full of personality. They reflected what matters most at Lillipods. Children who feel safe, confident and valued are ready to sing, move, speak and connect with others.

• Walkaround and interaction with teachers and children
  To close the visit, the Minister and his delegation toured the school. They visited classrooms, observed learning spaces and had the chance to speak with teachers and children.
  This informal walkabout allowed the delegation to see how Lillipods translates Finnish-inspired pedagogy into daily practice in a Singapore preschool setting. It also gave our teachers and children a rare and memorable opportunity to interact directly with international education leaders.

Ambassador Markkanen pauses to photograph the performing children, a special moment to remember.

Blending the best of Finland and Singapore

Throughout the visit, the message from Lillipods was clear.

At Lillipods Singapore, our goal is to blend the best of Finland and Singapore in early childhood education. From Finland, we draw inspiration from a strong play-based, child-centred approach, an emphasis on well-being and joy in learning, and trust in teachers as professionals. From Singapore, we embrace high standards, strong foundations in literacy and numeracy, and close partnership with families.

We believe that these strengths do not need to exist in separate silos. At Lillipods, we aim to bring them together in a way that is warm, rigorous and accessible.

Our children gift the Minister a special artwork, explaining their choice of the Merlion and Marina Bay Sands as symbols of Singapore.

A small school with big dreams

For our children, the visit was an exciting and memorable event. For our team, it was also a moment of quiet affirmation.

We are still at the beginning of our journey as a Finnish-inspired preschool in Singapore. We remain a small school community, but we hold big dreams for the children in our care. Having the support and presence of the Minister of Education of Finland, together with senior officials from the Ministry and the Embassy, is a meaningful encouragement as we move forward.

On behalf of the students, teachers and families of Lillipods NorthStar and North View, we extend our heartfelt thanks to Minister Adlercreutz, Ambassador Markkanen, Mr Tirronen and the entire Finnish delegation for taking the time to visit our preschool.

We look forward to continuing this journey of learning and collaboration between Finland and Singapore, always with the children at the heart of what we do.