Skip to content
Government and ministries
  • Suomi
  • Svenska
  • English
Media
Search page »
  •  Front page
  • Current issues
    • Information and advice on the coronavirus
      • Current restrictions
        • Entry restrictions and health measures in place in Finland
      • Questions and answers
      • Information on the coronavirus by telephone and chat
      • Topical material
        • Government press conferences
        • Government press releases
        • Ministries' press releases
      • Management of the COVID-19 situation in central government
        • Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
        • Ministry for Foreign Affairs
        • Ministry of Education and Culture
        • Ministry of the Interior
        • Ministry of Justice
        • Ministry of Finance
        • Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment
      • Finland forward
    • Press releases
    • News
    • Speeches
    • Webcasts
    • Social Media Newsroom
    • Themes
      • Government formation talks 2019
      • State funeral of former President of the Republic Mauno Koivisto
      • Open house 2019
    • Sign up
  • Marin's Government
    • Ministers
      • Prime Minister
      • Minister of Science and Culture
      • Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering
      • Minister for Foreign Affairs
      • Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade
      • Minister of Justice
      • Minister for Nordic Cooperation and Equality
      • Minister of the Interior
      • Minister of Defence
      • Minister of Finance
      • Minister of Local Government
      • Minister of Education
      • Minister of Employment
      • Minister of Agriculture and Forestry
      • Minister of Transport and Communications
      • Minister of Economic Affairs
      • Minister of Social Affairs and Health
      • Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services
      • Minister of the Environment and Climate Change
    • State Secretaries to the Ministers
    • Special Advisers to the Ministers
    • Government Programme
      • 1 Introduction
        • 1.1 Our pledges to citizens on policy reforms
      • 2 Finland as a sustainable economy
        • 2.1 Taxation in a changing world
      • 3 Strategic themes
        • 3.1. Carbon neutral Finland that protects biodiversity
          • 3.1.1 Housing policy
        • 3.2 Globally influential Finland
          • 3.2.1 Policy on Europe
        • 3.3 Safe and secure Finland built on the rule of law
          • 3.3.1 Strengthening the rule of law
          • 3.3.2 Defence policy
        • 3.4 Dynamic and thriving Finland
          • 3.4.1 Transport network development
          • 3.4.2 Agriculture
        • 3.5 Finland built on trust and labour market equality
        • 3.6 Fair, equal and inclusive Finland
          • 3.6.1 Restructuring of health and social services
          • 3.6.2 Reforming social security
        • 3.7 Finland that promotes competence, education, culture and innovation
          • 3.7.1 Youth, culture and sport
      • 4 Governance
        • 4.1 Management of the strategic Government Programme
        • 4.2 Parliamentary committees
        • 4.3 Strategic ministerial working groups
        • 4.4 Ownership policy
        • 4.5 Best public administration in the world
        • 4.6 Government’s communications strategy
      • Annexes and entries in meeting minutes
        • Annex 1. Summary of discretionary changes in permanent expenditure
        • Annex 2. One-off future-oriented investments
        • Annex 3. Spending limits rule
        • Annex 4. Work to combat the grey economy
        • Annex 5. Measures to combat international tax evasion and aggressive tax planning
        • Annex 6. Entries in meeting minutes
        • Annex 7. Memo of the working group on Europe regarding the key themes of Finland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union
        • Annex 8. Ideas of the working group on transport to develop land use, housing and transport
        • Annex 9. Fostering democracy
        • Annex 10. Impacts of benefit increases
        • Annex 11. Tables, Annex 1
        • Annex 12. One-off future-oriented investments, tables, Annex 2
      • Government Communications Strategy
        • Introduction
        • 1 Values in government communications
        • 2 Government’s core messages
        • 3 Cooperation in communications
        • 4 Measuring progress in achieving objectives
    • Division of responsibilities between ministers
    • Ministerial Committees
    • Ministerial working groups
    • Ministerial pay and allowances
    • Ministers and Parliament
  • About the Government
    • Appointment and organisation
    • How does the Government work?
      • Chancellor of Justice
      • Activities of the caretaker government
    • Role of the Prime Minister
    • Ministerial committees
    • Informal government meetings and ministerial working groups
    • EU affairs and the Finnish government
    • The Government and Parliament
    • Governments and Ministers since 1917
      • Ministers in Finland by gender
      • Governments' term in office
      • Prime Minister's age on the date of appointment
      • Finland's youngest and oldest ministers
    • History
      • Government Programmes since 1917
    • Premises
      • Government Palace
      • House of the Estates
      • Government Banquet Hall
      • Prime Minister's Official Residence
      • Königstedt Manor
      • Presidential portraits
  • Contact
    • Ministries
      • Safety information for visitors
    • Ministries Communication deparment contact
    • Feedback

Contact

Finnish Government
  • Front pageFront page
  • Current issues
  • Marin's Government
  • About the Government
  • Contact
  • en
  • About the Government
  • History
  • Governments and Ministers since 1917
  • Women as ministers in independent Finland
  • Sari Sarkomaa
« All female ministers
Cover photo of minister
"If a man chooses his family, he is applauded, If a woman does the same, she is blamed for throwing in the towel. True equality will be achieved when women were also able to make decisions in this matter, which are considered correct."

Sari Sarkomaa, the newly elected Minister of Education, interviewed on the appointment day of Matti Vanhanen’s Second Government on 19 April 2007. Prime Minister’s Office

Sari Sarkomaa

Sari Johanna Sarkomaa was the first woman to head the National Coalition Party’s student organisation. As a Minister of Parliament, she worked to promote a large university reform.

Sarkomaa graduated in 1988 as a radiographer and took on temporary positions in health care sector tasks both in Finland and Sweden. She continued her studies at the University of Helsinki in health care management, administration and research methods. She graduated with a Master's degree in 1996 and began work as the social policy secretary for the National Coalition Party's parliamentary group.

Sarkomaa first became involved in politics during her studies, and she was the first woman to hold the position of chairman of Tuhatkunta the Student Union of the National Coalition Party.  From 1997 to 1998, she acted as vice chair for the Student Union of the University of Helsinki. Sarkomaa was elected to the Helsinki City Council in 1997 and continued as an elected member until 2012, at which time she decided to no longer stand as a candidate. She was the chairman of the City of Helsinki Environment Committee and a deputy member of the City Council.

In 1999, she was elected into Parliament on her first time as a candidate. She has focused on family, health care, equality and environmental policies. She worked in numerous parliamentary committees responsible for these themes and held the position of chairman of the Education and Culture Committee in 2003.

Sarkomaa was appointed Minister of Education for Vanhanen's second government. Though her term as minister run for less than two years, she managed to start many processes such as reforms for adult education and comprehensive education. The largest project was the university and higher education system reform, which included the founding of Aalto University. Sarkomaa increased the starting spots at vocational schools and teaching for immigrants. After the Jokela school shooting, she also focused on mental health services at schools. 

In late 2008, Sarkomaa announced that she was stepping down from her position as minister, so that she could spend more time with her family. She has continued her career as a member of parliament and is a member of the Finance Committee and the Social Affairs and Health Committee. She is also the chairman for Kela's Parliamentary trustees and one of her party's social and health care experts.

From 1999 to 2012, Sarkomaa was the deputy chairman responsible for the National Coalition Party's programme and the chairman of the party council from 2004 to 2008. Additionally, Sarkomaa has held positions of trust especially in health care sector organisations. She has been a member of the HUS Helsinki Area Board, the Finnish Student Health Service Board and the Alzheimer Society of Finland Board. She was both a member of the Alko Inc. Supervisory Board and a member of the Finnish National Agency for Education Board from 2012 to 2015. 

"When discussing women's networks, many women continue to state that they work in cooperation in the same manner with both women and men. This is not the point of the matter. Women must unequivocally work with one another as otherwise attitudes and structures will not change. (Talvitie, Eveliina: Keitäs tyttö kahvia. Naisia politiikan portailla. WSOY, 2013, p. 285)

"If a man chooses his family, he is applauded, If a woman does the same, she is blamed for throwing in the towel. True equality will be achieved when women were also able to make decisions in this matter, which are considered correct." (Kauppinen, Perttu:  ”Esimerkillinen nainen.” Hs.fi, 14 December 2008)

 

The YLE TV news broadcast announced on 11 December 2008 that Minister of Education Sari Sarkomaa was leaving her post. She was replaced by Henna Virkkunen.

611Days in office

Date and place of birth: 24.9.1965 Tampere

Political party: Kokoomus

Ministerial posts

  • 19.4.2007 - 19.12.2008
    Opetusministeri, Kokoomus
equality (values) social policy health care sector education policy family policy school shootings

Photos

Photos
The Government held a press conference on the Jokela school shooting on 7 November 2007. From the left, Minister of the Interior Anne Holmlund, Minister of Education Sari Sarkomaa and Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen. Prime Minister’s Office

Texts by: Annika Puukka, Nevelyn Media Oy and Prime Minister’s Office

Finnish Government
Valtioneuvosto | Statsrådet

Snellmaninkatu 1 A, Helsinki PO Box 23

FI-00023 Government, Finland

Tel. +358 295 16001

About the site

Sitemap

Questions and feedback