Education system in finland

EDUCATION SYSTEM IN FINLAND
Anne Raasakka - anneraasakka@gmail.com

Finland in brief
• population 5.5 million (18 inhabitants / sq. km)
• two official languages: Finnish (88,6%) and Swedish (5,2%)
• persons with foreign background: 6.2 % of the population
• education level of the working age population:
• 13 % basic education
• 45 % upper secondary education
• 42 % tertiary education

Doctoral and licentiate’s degrees
Universities
Master’s degrees
Universities
Bachelor’s degrees
Universities
Polytechnic Bachelor’s degrees
Polytechnics
Polytechnic Master’s degrees
Polytechnics
Matriculation examination
General upper secondary schools
(= High School)
Vocational qualifications
Vocational institutions, adult education institution
and apprenticeship training
Basic education, 7-16-years-olds
Comprehensive schools
Pre-primary education, 6-year-olds
Comprehensive schools/day-care centers
Upper
secondary
vocational
qualification
Further
vocational
qualification
Special
vocational
qualification
Education system in Finland

Specificities of the Finnish education system
TEACHERS HIGHLY TRAINED
ANNUAL INSTRUCTION TIME LOW
NO RANKING
NON-SELECTIVE
BASIC EDUCATION STARTS AT AGE 7
FLEXIBLE GROUPING
TEACHING ATTRACTIVE PROFESSIONFOCUS ON SUPPORT
FOCUS ON LEARNING RATHER THAN TESTING
Decentralized
Trust
Central steering
Local decisions
Co-operation
Evolution
Central steering
Free education
Public funding

• Education is free of charge at all levels from
preprimary to higher education -> no tuition fee!
• Life-long learning in focus:
o the Finnish education system is continuous:
learners can always continue their studies on
an upper level of education, whatever
choices they make in between.
• The practice of prior learning recognition has
been developed in order to avoid studies from
overlapping.
Some basic facts

We trust in teachers!
Teachers in basic and general upper secondary education must hold a Master’s
degree, and initial teacher training includes teaching practice.
The high level of training is necessary as teachers in Finland work very
autonomously.
Finnish teacher training schools have a high degree of autonomy:
• The close relationship between theory and practice forms the basis for the
entire teacher education concept - educational and didactic theory are
applied in practice.

Pre-primary education at the age of six
• compulsory → free (no tuition)
• provided in ECEC centers (Early Childhood Education and
Care) or schools
• minimum 700 hours per year
• promoting child's prerequisites for growth, development
and learning
• a continuous learning path from ECEC to school
• integrative education
• learning through play, joy of learning
→ National core Curriculum for Preprimary Education
→ Local Curricula and plans

School year is the same everywhere but timetables are local
The school year consists of 190 days between mid-August and
the beginning of June.
Schools are open five days a week, and the minimum number of
lessons per week in basic education varies from 19 to 30,
depending on the level and number of optional subjects taken.
The maximum of school hours per week in general upper
secondary schools or vocational education is 40.
Daily and weekly timetables are decided in the schools.

Basic education in nutshell
• for 7-16-years-olds in Comprehensive schools
• 9 grades
• school day is daily from 4 to 6 hours, school day
usually begins at 8 o’clock
• one school week is from 19 to 30 hours
• time used to homework: daily about 30 minutes
• instruction is usually given by the same class teacher
in most subjects in the first six year-classes and by
subject specialists in the last three years

Assessment:
• continuous assessment supports learning and is an essential
part of the learning process: learning conversations, tests,
projects, self-assessment and peer evaluation so that they
can both give and receive constructive feedback, pupils
make portfolios…
• pupils are not compared with each other
• the teachers help the pupils understand the objectives and
recognize their own strengths and development needs
• assessment supports the pupils as lifelong learners
• to support teachers in the assessment, the core curriculum
provides the criteria for good performance for assessment at
the end of grade six and the final assessment in grade nine
• cooperation with families: continuous via internet,
education providers can decide how often teacher meet the
parents

Basic education curriculum reform: Core ideas

Conception of learning

Anne Raasakka - anneraasakka@gmail.comAnne Raasakka - anneraasakka@gmail.com
Subject Grade
1-2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 total hours
Mother tongue and literature 14 18 10 42
Foreign language --------------- 9 7 16
Second national language -------------------------------------------- 2 4 6
Mathematics 6 15 11 32
Environmental studies 4 10 14
Biology and Geopraphy 7 7
Physics and Chemistry 7 7
Health education 3 3
Religion/Ethics 2 5 3 10
History ------------------- 5 7 12
Music 2 4 2 8
Visual arts 2 5 2 9
Crafts 4 5 2 11
Physical education 4 9 7 20
Home economics --------------------------------------------------- 3 3
Optional art lessons 6 5 11
Guidance counselling --------------------------------------------------- 2 2
Optional subjects 9 9
(Optional languages) ----------------- (12+4) (16)
Together 222 (238)
School subjects in basic education (hours/week/grade)

• Student selection to upper secondary schools is mainly based on the
students’ grades in their basic education certificate.
• Completion of upper secondary education, both general and vocational,
gives students eligibility to continue to higher education

General upper secondary education is flexibly organized
• The syllabus is designed to last three years, but students may
complete it in 2 to 4 years.
• Modular/course structure → Students build their own,
individual study schedules.
• Each course is assessed on completion.
• The Finnish National Agency for Education determines the
objectives and learning outcomes of the subjects and study
modules.
• Education provider prepares the local curriculum based on the
national core curriculum.
• Due to the modular structure of upper secondary education,
students may combine studies from both general education and
vocational education and training.

School subjects in
General Upper
Secondary
Schools
(High School)
• one course is
about 40 hours
Subject Compulsory
courses
Specialization
courses
Finnish language and literature 6 3
First foreign language, e.g. English 6 2
Second language (Swedish) 5 2
Other foreign languages, e.g. French 8+8
Mathematics, common course for all 1
• short syllabus 5 2
• long syllabus 9 3
Biology 2 3
Geology 1 3
Physics 1 6
Chemistry 1 4
Philosophy 2 2
Psychology 1 4
History 3 3
Civics 3 1
Religion or Ethics 2 4
Health education 1 2
Music 1-2 2
Visual arts 1-2 2
Physical education 2 3
Guidance counselling 2
Theme studies 3
Compulsory courses (minimum) 47-51
Specialization courses (minimum) 10
In total (minimum) 75

National matriculation examination – the only national test
General upper secondary education (High School) ends with a national
matriculation examination, which consists of four compulsory tests:
1) mother tongue (Finnish or Swedish)
2) three of the following (student chooses):
• the second national language (Swedish or Finnish)
• a foreign language
• mathematics
• one subject in general studies, such as humanities and natural
sciences
3) students may also include optional tests.
Having completed the matriculation examination and the entire upper
secondary school syllabus, students are awarded a separate certificate that
shows details of the examinations passed and the levels and grades
achieved.

Vocational education and training
• Vocational education is designed to last three years.
• Each qualification includes at least half a year of on-the-job learning in
workplaces.
• The national qualification requirements are competence based.
• The studies are based on individual study plans, including both compulsory
and optional units.
• The students’ learning and acquired competences are assessed throughout
the period of study.
• The assessment is based on criteria defined in the national qualification
requirements.

Anne Raasakka - anneraasakka@gmail.comAnne Raasakka anneraasakka@gmail.com
Example of the Vocational Qualification structure
Common vocational units 35 credits
Vocational units 135 credits
Free-choice units 10 credits
Composition of the
qualification in vocational
upper secondary
education and training is
180 credits.
Vocational education is
designed to last three
years (approximately 60
credits/school year), but
students may complete it
in 2 to 4 years.
COMPULSORY UNIT
20 credits
COMPULSORY
UNIT
15 credits
COMPULSORY UNIT
25 credits
OPTIONAL
UNIT,
15 credits
OPTIONAL
25 credits
OPTIONAL UNIT
35 credits
Vocational
units
Areas of common vocational
units or general upper
secondary studies
Studies that support
capabilities for further
studies or vocational
development
(credits may also be referred to as
”competence point”)
including on-the-
job-learning
30 credits
Units based on local
vocational skills
requirements
Individual units based on competence
acquired through work experience
Communication and interaction
skills
• compulsory 8 credits
• optional credits
Skills required in society and
working life
• optional 3 credits
Competence in mathematics and
natural sciences
• optional 3 credits
Social and cultural competence

• The main assessment methods is the vocational
skills demonstrations which are work tasks and the
skills demonstration is given in authentic settings =
workplace.
• Skills demonstrations are designed, implemented
and assessed in co-operation with working life
representatives.

Costs on education 2015

Pupil and student welfare
COLLECTIVE AND INDIVIDUAL APPROACH
SAFETY SCHOOL MEALSHEALTH CARE

Student guidance and counselling
• subjective right
• part of the curriculum
• collective and individual approach
• develops learning skills
• supports self-confidence,
participation and personal growth
• focus on transition points

Links:
http://www.oph.fi/download/175015_education_in_Finland.pdf
http://www.oph.fi/english/education_system
http://www.oph.fi/download/171176_finnish_education_in_a_nutshell.pdf
https://www.norssi.jyu.fi/info-1/info
http://oph.fi/download/174369_new_national_core_curriculum_for_basic_education
_focus_on_school_culture_and.pdf
http://oph.fi/download/174523_vocational_qualification_in_hairdressing_2014.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LpRQvKx6r0
Teaching Practice - Reflection in Action:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDCm1fIPKH8&index=3&list=PLEE385BC5A01259
95

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