T
Pasi SAHLBERG
CIMO Helsinki FINLAND
Twitter:@
erg.com
CIMO ‐ Helsinki FINLAND
Educar en el siglo XXI:
experiencias internacionales
@pasi_sa
asisahlbe
experiencias internacionales
Santander, SPAIN
2 July 2013
hlberg
pa
Three things you need to know
(1) Finland has never aimed to be the best
We will have the bestGreat school for We will have the best 
school system in the world 
by year 2020!
Great school for 
each and every 
child! y y
Three things you need to know
(2) Finland is one of the most equal countries
High
vementent achiev
.
Stude
Income inequality Wilkinson & Pickett, 2009
OECD, 2102/2013
HighLow
Three things you need to know
(3) Finland does well overall
Economic competitiveness
Finland #3
Technological Advancement
Finland #1 Global Equity Index
Finland #2
Corruption Perception Index
Finland #2
Global Innovation Index
Finland #4
Least Failed State
Finland #1Finland #2
The UN Happiness IndexChild Poverty Rate
Finland #1
Political Empowerment e U app ess de
Finland #2
Child Poverty Rate
Finland 4%
Political Empowerment 
of Women
Finland #2
Child Wellbeing
Finland #4
Global Gender Gap Index
Finland #2
To be a Mother
Finland #1
Three things you need to know
(3) Finland does well overall
Economic competitiveness
Finland #3
United States #7
Technological Advancement
Finland #1
United States #9
Global Equity Index
Finland #2
United States #48United States #7
Corruption Perception Index
Finland #2
Global Innovation Index
Finland #4
United States #48
Least Failed State
Finland #1Finland #2
United States #24 United States #10
The UN Happiness IndexChild Poverty Rate
Finland #1
United States #19
Political Empowerment e U app ess de
Finland #2
United States #11
Child Poverty Rate
Finland 4%
United States 22%
Political Empowerment 
of Women
Finland #2
United States #55
Child Wellbeing
Finland #4
United States #26
Global Gender Gap Index
Finland #2
United States #22
United States #55
To be a Mother
Finland #1
United States #26United States  #22United States #30
How are school systems being
i d?improved?
Global Educational 
R f M tReform Movement
COMPETITION
STANDARDISATION
STANDARDISED TESTING
TOUGH ACCOUNTABILITY
SCHOOL CHOICE
How does GERM look like in 
practice?
GERM outbreak in 2013
How successful GERM has been?
National averages of 15-year-old students learning outcomes in mathematics 2000-2009
2000 2003 2006 2009
540
560
520
540
480
500
460
420
440
USA England Canada Australia Japan New Zealand Netherlands Sweden Finland
Source: OECD
How successful GERM has been?
National averages of 15-year-old students learning outcomes in mathematics 2000-2009
2000 2003 2006 2009
540
560
520
540
480
500
460
420
440
USA England Canada Australia Japan New Zealand Netherlands Sweden Finland
Source: OECD
Global Educational 
R f M t
The Finnish
WReform Movement Way
COLLABORATIONCOMPETITION
CUSTOMISATIONSTANDARDISATION
STANDARDISED TESTING
SAMPLE‐BASED 
ASSESSMENTS
TRUST‐BASED
RESPONSIBILITY
TOUGH ACCOUNTABILITY
EQUITYSCHOOL CHOICE
Students’ performance in 
reading, mathematics and 
science (e.g. PISA) Equity and quality in education
High Performers’ Club
alityQu
re
per
ec
Equity
Strength of t
elationship bet
rformance and
conomic backg
Equity 
the 
tween 
d socio‐
ground
Source: OECD
Students’ performance in 
reading, mathematics and 
science (e.g. PISA) Equity and quality in education
High Performers’ Club
Fair school fundingFair school funding
Early childhood 
education
Early childhood 
education
Special needs 
education
Special needs 
educationBalanced 
curriculum
Balanced 
curriculumTeacherTeacher
ality
Fair school fundingFair school funding curriculumcurriculumTeacher 
professionalism
Teacher 
professionalism
Qu
re
per
ec
Equity
Strength of t
elationship bet
rformance and
conomic backg
Equity 
the 
tween 
d socio‐
ground
Source: OECD
Lessons from Finland
Finnish Lessons
“Less testing more learning”Less testing, more learning
“More creativity, less standardisation”
“L f h i it ”“Less focus on choice, more on equity”
“Children must play”
¡Gracias!
pasisahlberg.com Twitter: @pasi_sahlberg

Educar en el s XXI. UIMP 2013. Finland: A Non-Competitive School System for a Competitive Market Economy