Finland

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Finland in a nutshell

(mainly sourced from: Wikipedia)

Source: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/fi.html

Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. The capital city of Finland is Helsinki. The population of Finland is about 5.4 million people, the majority concentrated in the southern region. It is the eighth largest country in Europe in terms of area and the third most sparsely populated country in the Europe. Finland is a parliamentary republic with a central government based in Helsinki and local governments in 336 municipalities.

Finland has been a member of the European Union since 1995, independent since 1917 and autonomous since 1809. Finland has two official languages: Finnish and Swedish. Finnish is spoken by 92 % and Swedish by 6 % of the population. The Sami language is an official language in northern Lapland and it is the mother tongue of about 1,700 people.

Education in Finland

(mainly sourced from: Ministry of Education)

Finnish education and science policy stresses quality, efficiency, equity and internationalism. It is geared to promote the competitiveness of Finnish welfare society. Sustainable economic development will continue to provide the best basis for assuring the nation's cultural, social and economic welfare. The overall lines of Finnish education and science policy are in line with the EU Lisbon strategy.

In Finland, the basic right to education and culture is recorded in the Constitution. Public authorities must secure equal opportunities for every resident in Finland to get education also after compulsory schooling and to develop themselves, irrespective of their financial standing. Legislation provides for compulsory schooling and the right to free pre-primary and basic education. Most other qualifying education is also free for the students, including postgraduate education in universities.

Parliament passes legislation concerning education and research and determines the basic lines of education and science policy. The Government and the Ministry of Education and Culture, as part of it, are responsible for preparing and implementing education and science policy. The Ministry of Education and Culture is responsible for education financed from the state budget. The Government adopts a development plan for education and research every four years.

The Finnish education system is composed of nine-year basic education (comprehensive school), preceded by one year of voluntary pre-primary education; upper secondary education, comprising vocational and general education; and higher education, provided by universities and polytechnics. Adult education is available at all levels.

Schools in Finland

(mainly sourced from: Ministry of Education)

Children permanently living in Finland have a statutory right and obligation to complete the comprehensive school syllabus. Nearly all children (99.7%) do this. The principle underlying pre-primary, basic and upper secondary education is to guarantee basic educational security for all, irrespective of their place of residence, language and economic standing.

All children have the right to participate in voluntary pre-primary education during the year preceding compulsory schooling. Nearly all 6-year-olds do so. A Finnish child usually starts schooling at the age of seven. The nine-year basic schooling is free for all pupils. Local authorities arrange voluntary morning and afternoon activities for first- and second-year pupils and for special-needs pupils.

General upper secondary education commonly takes three years to complete and gives eligibility for polytechnic and university studies. At the end of the upper secondary school students usually take the national matriculation examination.

Pre-Primary education

Pre-primary education is available free of charge for children one year before they start actual compulsory schooling. Its aim is to develop children's learning skills as part of early childhood education and care. Local authorities have statutory duty to arrange pre-primary education, but for children participation is voluntary and decided by parents. About 96% of the six-year-olds go to pre-primary school.

The Ministry of Education recommends that a pre-primary teaching group only include 13 children, but if there is another trained adult in addition to the teacher it may have up to 20 children. Pre-primary instructors have either a kindergarten teacher qualification or a class teacher qualification.

Basic education

Basic education is free general education provided for the whole age group. After completing the basic education syllabus young people have finished their compulsory schooling. It does not lead to any qualification but gives eligibility for all upper secondary education and training.

Basic education in brief:

• Basic education is free nine-year education provided in comprehensive schools.
• The local/school curriculum is based on a national core curriculum.
• Education is provided in neighborhood schools or other suitable places which make school travel as short and safe as possible.
• Schools cooperate with pupils' homes.
• A pupil is entitled to special-needs education, if necessary.
• It is possible to continue basic education on a voluntary basis (for a tenth year).
• A school-leaving certificate is issued on the completion of the syllabus, but it does not give any actual qualification.
• The certificate gives access to all upper secondary education and training.
• Teachers are highly educated.
• Nearly all children complete their compulsory schooling.

Compulsory schooling starts in the year when children turn seven and ends after the basic education syllabus has been completed or after ten years.

The post-compulsory level

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%).

General upper secondary education

General upper secondary education usually takes three years and gives eligibility for higher education. About 55% of school-leavers opt for the general upper secondary school. The upper secondary school is based on courses with no specified year-classes and ends in a matriculation examination. It does not qualify for any occupation. After the upper secondary school, students continue in universities, polytechnics or vocational institutions.

The admission requirement for general upper secondary education is a school-leaving certificate from basic education. Students apply to general and vocational education in a joint application system. If the number of applicants exceeds the intake, the selection is based on students' school reports. The drop-out rate is low.

Vocational education

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. VET comprises initial vocational training and further and continuing training.

The largest fields of vocational education in Finland 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%).

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.

Initial VET

• The vocational qualification has been designed to respond to labor market needs.
• The qualification is 120 credits, which takes three years of full-time study, unless prior learning can be counted towards the qualification.
• The qualification is based on working life occupations and the competencies required.
• The qualification includes at least 20 credits of on-the-job learning.
• The training is built on the basic education syllabus.
• 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.
• A vocational qualification gives general eligibility for polytechnic and university studies.