The Finnish school system

Possibly best in the world

Education policy in Finland

* Finnish education and science police stresses quality, efficiency, equity and internationalism.* Geared to promote the competitveness of Finnish welfare society.* The overall lines of Finnish education and science policy are in line with the EU Lisbon strategy* Public authorities must secure equal opportunities for every resident in Finland to get aducation also after compulsory schooling and right to pre-primary and basic education.* The Goverment and the Ministry of Education, as part of it, are responsible for preparing and implementing education financed from the state budget

The School System of Finland

• Primary school begins at the age of seven

• Key words: quality, efficiency, equity and internationalisation

• Finland has 20 universities and 28 polytechnics

Levels of Education

(Preschool)1. Comprehensive school (9 years)

1. Primary school2. Middle school

2. Upper secondary school (2 – 4 years)High school ORVocational school

3. Tertiary level education (3 - ∞)University ORPolytechnic

General education in Finland

•Finnish children have a statutory right and obligation to complete the comprehensive

school syllabus•Normally children go to school at the age of

seven•The nine-year basic schooling is free for all

pupils•The school year has 190 working days and

summer holidays are over 60 days

Vocational education and training in Finland

• The post-compulsory level is divided into general education and initial and further vocational education and training.

• After basic education, 95.5% of school-leavers continue in additional voluntary basic education (2.5%), in upper secondary schools (54.5%) or in initial vocational education and training (38.5%).

• The aim of vocational education and training (VET) is to improve the skills of the work force, to respond to skills needs in the world of work and to support lifelong learning.

• A total of 146 000 students attend initial vocational training every year.

• The largest fields are Technology and Transport (c. 36%), Business and Administration (19%) and Health and Social Services (17%). The other fields are Tourism, Catering and Home Economics (13%), Culture (7%), Natural Resources (6%) and Leisure and Physical Education (2%).

• There are 119 study programmes leading to 53 different vocational qualifications confirmed by the Ministry of Education.

• VET is intended both for young people and for adults already active in working life. They can study for vocational qualifications and further and specialist qualifications, or study in further and continuing education without aiming at a qualification.

• The vocational qualification has been designed to respond to labour market needs.

• The qualification is 120 credits, which takes three years of full-time study, unless prior learning can be counted towards the qualification. It includes 20 credits of on-the-job learning.

• Prior learning acquired in training, working life or other learning environments can be counted towards the qualification.

• Matriculated students can also study in initial VET. Their prior studies are equivalent to some 30 credits, which are counted towards the vocational qualification.

Polytechnic education in Finland

♣the Finnish higher education system consists two sectors: polytechnics and universities

♣ polythenic is more practical than an university

♣ there are 26 polytechnics in Finland

♣they comprise core and professional studies, elective studies and a final project. All degree studies include practical on-the-job learning.

♣education takes three or four years

♣ education is provided in the following fields:

-Humanities and Education

-Culture

-Social sciences, business and administration

-Natural resources and the environment

-Technology, communication and transport -Natural sciences -Social services, health and sport -Tourism, catering and domestic services

University Education in Finland

• You may apply to an university after graduating from upper secondary school.

• Universities confer Bachelor's and Master's degrees, and postgraduate licentiate and doctoral degrees.

• In the two-cycle degree system students first complete the Bachelor's degree, after which they may go for the higher, Master's degree.

• Studies are quantified as credits (ECTS). – The extent of the Bachelor's level degree is 180 credits and the Master's

degree is 120 credits.

• Doctoral students prepare a dissertation, which they defend in public.

• Universities select their students independently and entrance examinations are an important part of the selection process.

Adult education • Adult education policy is designed to provide a wide range of study opportunities for the adult population.

• Finland offers excellent conditions for lifelong learning

• Different institutions arrange a great variety of courses and programmes for adults at all levels of formal education, and the provision of liberal adult education is extensive.

• With the exception of further and specialist vocational qualifications, adult education and training leading to qualifications is provided free of charge.

Financial aid for students

• pension (other than survivors´ pension) • rehabilitation allowance• unemployment benefits • training allowance• job alternation compensation• adult education subsidy (government guarantee for student loan is available) • benefits accompanying apprenticeship training • conscript´s allowance and • student benefits from another country

International schooling in Finland

• Since Finnish and Swedish arent’ spoken by many people outside the Nordic countries, Finns are aware of the need to learn other peoples’ languages

• International schools are very tolerant; schools for example offer immersion classes in Finnish for immigrants to ease their integration into Finnish school life.

• International schools in Finland– International School of Helsinki– English School– Deutsche Schule– The Ecole francaise Jules Verne– Finnish-Russian School– Espoo International Upper Secondary School – International School of Vantaa– Postipuu Primary School in Espoo– Turku International School– International School Cygnaeus, Pori – The Amuri School, Tampere– Lycée franco-finlandais d’Helsinki

The schoolday in Finnish highschool

Normally the schooldays are between eight and three

Considering students’ personal subject choices they can be from 2 to 8 hours

Lessons last 45 or 75 minutes and breaks are from 5 to 20 minutes long

Lunch break lasts normally half an hour and food is provided by school

During the breaks students usually use the computers or go to the shop

The students who come to school from a long distance travel by busses and the town provides the transportation for them

Finns’ success in PISA study

• Fifteen-year old finnish schoolchildren have been ranked highest in the world measured by combined learning results in science, mathematics and literacy.

• Finnish pupils were ranked 1st in science, 2nd in reading comprehension and 2nd in mathematics

• The country’s success in PISA study has generated international intrest

• Foreign politicians and teachers from all over Europe and further have visited Finnish schools to see them at work.