Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Finnish
education
in a
nutshell
Education system in Finland
A central
objective
Doctoral degrees
is to provide Licenciate degrees
6
Universities
all citizens
with equal Polytechnic masters degrees
11.5
Masters degrees
opportunities. Universities
Polytechnics
2
5A
Work experience 3 years
Polytechnic
Bachelors degrees
3.54
bachelors degrees
3
Universities
Polytechnics
Specialist vocational
Work qualifications*
4
experience Further vocational
qualifications*
3
General upper secondary Vocational institutions
3
schools *Also available as apprenticeship training
Basic education
1&2
716-year-olds
9
Comprehensive schools
duration
in years
duration
in years
classification
isced-classification 1997
0 Pre-primary education
12 Primary education or lower secondary education
3 Upper secondary education
4 Post-secondary non-tertiary education
5 First stage of tertiary education
6 Second stage of tertiary education
Education system based on
trust and responsibility 10 Higher education
Most education is publicly funded 10 with a dual structure 22
Local administration and educational Most university students aim for
institutions play a key role 12 a Masters degree 22
Educational autonomy is high at all levels 12 Polytechnic degrees provide students
Quality assurance is based on steering with practical professional skills 23
instead of controlling 13
Highly educated
Early childhood and basic teaching personnel 24
education as part of The most common pre-service requirement
life-long learning 14 is a Masters degree 24
Early childhood education supports Educational leaders are required
childrens development and learning 14 a teacher qualification 26
Basic education is provided within Continuing teacher education
a single structure 15 is encouraged 26
School year is the same everywhere
but timetables are local 15
National core curriculum leaves room
for local variations 15
Assessment is part of daily schoolwork 16
Equity in education Every pupil and student has the right
to educational support
The current thinking in Finland is that the poten-
One of the basic principles of Finnish education tial of each pupil should be maximised. There-
is that all people must have equal access to fore educational guidance is seen as essential.
high-quality education and training. The same Guidance and counselling aims to support, help
opportunities to education should be available and guide pupils and students so that they can
to all citizens irrespective of their ethnic origin, all perform as well as possible in their studies and
age, wealth or where they live. be able to make correct and appropriate decisions
concerning their education and
Education is free careers.
at all levels Guidance and counselling is
In Finland education is free seen as the work of all educa-
at all levels from pre-primary tion personnel. Thus teach-
to higher education. In pre- ers are required to treat the
primary and basic education children and young people as
the textbooks, daily meal and individuals and help them to
transportation for students proceed according to their own
living further away from the capabilities. Learners should
school are free for the parents. also experience success and joy
At secondary level and in of learning. Today all pupils and
higher education the students students have the right to edu-
themselves or their parents cational support. This support
purchase their own books. At can be remedial instruction or
secondary level the students The potential support for the pupils special needs.
have the right to a free meal
and in higher education meals
of every Special needs education is
are subsidised by the state. individual generally provided in conjunction
Adult education is the only with mainstream education
form of education that may
should be In Finland the ideology is to provide special needs
require payment. maximised. education primarily in mainstream education.
To ensure the opportunities If a pupil cannot be taught in a regular teach-
to study for everyone there is a ing group, he or she must be admitted to special
well-developed system of study needs education. This education is provided at
grants and loans. Financial aid regular schools wherever possible.
can be awarded for full-time All pupils of compulsory school age have the
study in an upper secondary right to general support, that is, high-quality edu-
school, vocational institution or cation as well as guidance and support. Intensi-
institution of higher education. fied support must be given to those pupils who
Education in Finland
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