Finnish Education System Sakari Karjalainen

1. Finnish Education SystemSakari Karjalainen ITEC 2012 Van Leer Jerusalem Institute

2. Constitution of Finland, 1999 Educational rights • Everyone has theright to basic education free of charge. Provisions on the duty to receive education are laid down by an Act. • The public authorities shall, as provided in more detail by an Act, guarantee for everyone equal opportunity to receive other educational services in accordance with their ability and special needs, as well as the opportunity to develop themselves without being prevented by economic hardship.

3. Structure of the Finnish Education System

4. Basic Education Act, 1998 Objectives of education • The purpose of education referred to in this Act is to support pupils' growth into humanity and into ethically responsible membership of society and to provide them with knowledge and skills needed in life. Furthermore, the aim of pre-primary education, as part of early childhood education, is to improve children's capacity for learning. • Education shall promote civilisation and equality in society and pupils' prerequisites for participating in education and otherwise developing themselves during their lives. • The aim of education shall further be to secure adequate equity in education throughout the country.

5. Basic Education Act, 1998 The Foundation for Education • Education shall be governed by a unified national core curriculum in accordance with this Act. • Education shall be provided according to the pupil's age and capabilities and so as to promote healthy growth and development in the pupil. • Those providing education shall cooperate with pupils' parents/carers.

6. Basic Education 1 • Compulsory schooling starts in the year when children turn seven and ends after the basic education syllabus has been completed or after ten years. Nearly all children complete their compulsory schooling. • Nine-year comprehensive school (pupils aged 7-15) • It is possible to continue basic education on a voluntary basis (for a tenth year). • The local/school curriculum is based on a national core curriculum. • A school-leaving certificate is issued on the completion of the syllabus, but give no actual qualification. • The certificate gives access to all upper secondary education and training.

7. Basic Education 2 • Teaching, textbooks, meals, health service and travel to and from school free of charge • A pupil is entitled to remedial teaching and special-needs education, if necessary. • There are around 15,000 school-age children with immigrant background, whose integration is supported in many ways. Total number of pupils is about 530,000.

8. Two national languages • Finland has two national languages, Finnish and Swedish. Approximately six per cent of students in basic and upper secondary education attend a school where Swedish is the language of instruction. Both language groups have their own institutions from early childhood to higher education level.

9. Responsibilities in provision and funding of education • Most institutions providing basic and upper secondary level education are maintained by local authorities or joint municipal boards (federations of municipalities). • Less than 3 per cent of pupils in basic education attend private schools. Private institutions are under public supervision: they follow the national core curricula and qualification guidelines confirmed by the Finnish National Board of Education. They also receive the same level of public funding as publicly funded schools. • Responsibility for educational funding is divided between the State and the local authorities.

10. Autonomy and accountability • Local authorities determine how much autonomy is passed to schools. The schools have the right to provide educational services according to their own administrative arrangements, as long as the basic functions, determined by law, are carried out. • There is no separate school inspectorate and inspection visits to schools conducted by state authorities have been abandoned. • The activities of education providers are guided by objectives laid down in legislation and the national core curricula. • The system relies on the proficiency of teachers in their efforts to meet the objectives laid down in the curricula.

11. Curriculum control and content • The current national core curriculum was verified by the Finnish National Board of Education in 2004 and includes objectives and assessment criteria. Within this framework, schools and local authorities then form their own curricular regulations that are sensitive to the local context. • Teachers choose their own teaching methods and have freedom to select their own teaching materials. • Compulsory core subjects in basic education are mother tongue (i.e. Finnish or Swedish) and literature, second national language, foreign languages, environmental studies, health education, religion or ethics, history, social studies, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, geography, physical education, music, visual arts, craft, home economics and pupil counselling.

12. Evaluation • Education providers are responsible for self-evaluation of the education they provide and they are expected to participate in national and international evaluations. • A separate Education Evaluation Council has been operating in connection with the Ministry of Education and Culture since 2003. It is responsible for planning, co-ordinating, managing and developing the evaluation of basic education, general and vocational upper secondary education as well as adult education and training. • The Finnish National Board of Education carries out national evaluations of learning outcomes on a sample basis.

13. Global Education Reform Standardized teaching and learning Focus on literacy and numeracy Teaching prescribed curriculum Borrowing market-oriented reform ideas Test-based accountability and control Finnish Education Policy Customizing teaching and learning Focus on creative learning Encouraging risk-taking Learning from the past and owning innovations Shared responsibility and trust Global Education Reform vs. Finnish Education Policy (Pasi Sahlberg 2011) Sahlberg, Pasi. Finnish lessons. What can the world learn from educational change in Finland? Teachers College Press, New York, 2011.

14. Test-based accountability and control Social performance and raising student achievement are closely tied to processes of promotion, inspection, and ultimately rewarding schools and teachers. Winners normally gain fiscal rewards, whereas struggling schools and individuals are punished. Punishment often includes loose employment terms and merit-based pay for teachers. Shared responsibility and trust Gradually building a culture of responsibility and turst within the education system that values teacher and principal professionalism in judging what is best for students. Targeting resources and support to schools and students who are at risk to fail or to be left behind. Sample-based student assessments. Global Education Reform vs. Finnish Education Policy (Pasi Sahlberg 2011) Sahlberg, Pasi. Finnish lessons. What can the world learn from educational change in Finland? Teachers College Press, New York, 2011.

15. TEACHER PROFESSIONALISM ACCOUNTABILITY SCHOOL AUTONOMY TRUST

16. National core curriculum sets the goals, school and teacher decide how they will be achieved. Teachers choose their teaching methods and materials. Strong system of remedial teaching and special needs education. Equity guides the steering and development of the education system. TRUST EXTERNAL CONTROL PROFESSIONAL AUTONOMY MISTRUST High-stakes tests Inspection Fixed-term contracts Merit-based salaries