Education in Finland

Teijo Koljonen- Counselor of Education in Finland

There are no dead ends in Finnish Education. At age 15 students make the decision to go to a vocational school or to university. See the diagram below: 

Finland’s education is developed in partnership with the teacher’s union, pupils/students/parents, universities, economy sector, national and local authorities. So there are no surprises when the national standards are put into place. Teachers are allowed to teach how they see fit as long as they follow the national standards. Finland does not do any testing until students reach the end of middle school. They also believe in 4 cornerstones for education- autonomy & trust, support, no fees, & equity. All of the schools, no matter the socioeconomic status of the neighborhood, receive the same amount of money. 

Pia Hakkari- Educational Coordinator in City of Vantaa

Teachers have A LOT to say when it comes to their curriculum. They are allowed to choose all of their own books and materials. They also do not have to be at the school for a certain number of hours a day. Teachers are paid by the number of classes they teach, so they may go in at 11:00 and go home at 2:00. They only have to stay for meetings. 

Sanna Leinonen- Fulbright Alum

Thirty percent of Sanna’s students are immigrants. She says that they have received a number of students from the Ukraine because of the war.