FINLAND EDUCATION SYSTEM FACTS, RANKING, REFORM, AND CURRICULUM – ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

In reality, Finland’s education system is prestigious as it paves the way for pupils to be treated equally through the no-banding policy. By this policy, it is meant that all students are placed in the same classrooms. No students –whether brilliant or not –are taught separately or favoured at the expense of other students. Again, this policy gives room for interaction between strong and weak students. Based on observations, this policy is one of the standards which gave Finland education system – the best education system in the world.

Finland Education System Facts

Finland Education System Ranking

Across the world, Finland is best known for its unique no-banding education system which means all students are placed in the same classrooms for teaching regardless of their ability. In terms of academic ranking, literacy rate happens to be a vital model used in ranking countries’ education systems and figure out the best ones in the world. The best part of Finnish citizens are educated and the Finnish government invests massively in the country’s education system. With this vital information and various checks, it is obvious that Finland produces the world’s best education system.

In Finland, students are given just one compulsory test and this comes at the age of 16. Besides that, they do not have any compulsory test to attempt. Another interesting thing about the Finnish education system is that students are not overwhelmed with homework. They are given few assignments as homework if compared to what is practiced in other countries such as the United States of America.

Finland Education Reform

Beginning in the 1970s, Finland has been handling its education system with total concentration. This clearly distinguishes Finland as one of the countries with the best education reforms in the world. As regards the contents of Finland education reform, Finland has progressively claimed the apex of global education rankings.
With a view to maintaining its stance as the world’s best education system, the Finnish government gathers efforts to ensure the country’s education reform continues to cater for:

  • The recognition of early childhood education
  • The provision of free academic needs such as school uniforms and writing materials
  • A decentralized policy that authorizes local schools to resolve local issues
  • The provision of highly sophisticated teachers

Undoubtedly, the Finnish government is committed to its unique education reform and this is just the reason why Finland has the most prestigious education system in the world.

In Finland, the academic curriculum majorly centres on outdoor and artistic activities such as music. In addition to this, students are given little homework and few tests compared to what is practiced in other countries. Regardless of all this, records of global assessment tests show that Finland produces the best students who obviously score more marks than the students from other countries.

Finland realizes the need to keep its students on a par with the fast-rising pace of the modern world and this is just why the country has been gathering efforts together to ensure its academic curriculum receives the greatest improvement. As regards Finland’s recent curriculum NCF (National Curriculum Framework) introduced in 2016, the Finnish government draws great attention on education by giving it an approach that encompasses many disciplines. Over and above this, the country adopts a new academic strategy known as “phenomenon-based’’ teaching. Through this strategy, students are provided with academic teaching on complex topics like Community, Climate Change, and the European Union.

With the help of “phenomenon-based’’ teaching, Finnish students will be educated in the application of various skills and expertise in just one academic class. Broadly speaking, phenomenon-based teaching is typical of an academic approach that attempts to solve materialistic problems and through its adoption, students can gain further insights into the complex world. Meanwhile, this class (or a relevant academic project) will be introduced in Finnish schools as part of the academic programmes for the school year. Another innovatory thing worthy of mention is that NCF makes it compulsory for Finnish students to express their opinions while scheduling the periods for “phenomenon-based’’ study. To broaden students’ scope of learning, it will be compulsory for them to give their own account of what they have learned and understood about “phenomenon-based’’ teaching.

Finland has proved its strong commitment towards the innovation and advancement of education and this is why the country merits great commendation. Despite having been clarified as the world’s best education system, Finland is devoted to giving education the best improvement.

Finland Education Curriculum

The Finnish academic curriculum gives room for designers, architects and researchers to partner with teachers in order to establish some avenues considered conducive to learning. Through this, Finnish students are placed in healthy environments which can stimulate their learning abilities regardless of their various styles of learning.
With the help of its new academic curriculum, Finland was able to save itself from the setbacks experienced over the previous 20 years. The new curriculum proved to be the most effectual solution to the setbacks Finland experienced many years ago. Without any doubts, Finland has laid down an exemplary academic curriculum for other nations to imitate or learn from. In that case, we would like to further review the Finnish academic curriculum with emphasis on the important things other countries should note and emulate.

  • The Finnish Curriculum Establishes Schools as Learning Organizations

In Finland, schools are seen as learning organizations and not avenues for students to compete with each other. Finnish students are trained with the motive of making them improve academically and socially. In that case, teachers and other school authorities gather efforts aimed at establishing a cooperative environment for students to learn effectively. Through this, students are expected to learn together rather than compete with each other. Also, it is believed that this principle of collective learning is an opportunity for Finnish students to share ideas with each other.

The Finnish curriculum encourages teachers to impart knowledge to students in a thorough manner since it is believed that some students could find it difficult to catch up when taught hastily. At the same time, teachers and other Finnish educators are encouraged to regard themselves as learners who are determined to develop to lofty academic standards. Since Finnish schools are regarded as avenues for people to learn, teachers are advised to engage in group learning where each teacher offers what he/she knows and feels others should learn from.

  • Assessment is Seen as another Learning Opportunity

In Finland, students are assessed with the main motive of improving their learning standards and neither to evaluate their academic performances. In other to bridge the gaps in students’ ability to understand Assessment, each student gets feedback.

  • Intense Focus on Phenomenon-based Learning

Finnish schools have been equipped with the required materials for students to acquire some skills which encompass numerous disciplines. Among these disciplines are vibrant participation in entrepreneurship and society, multi-cultural communication, and ICT (Information Communications Technology). Besides this, the Finnish curriculum makes it compulsory for students to take on the minimum of one “phenomenon-based’’ multi-disciplinary module on a yearly basis. Through this, Finland gives room for students to acquire and use a number of skills and expertise within a single class. In a nutshell, this single class makes it possible for students to acquire a variety of skills in multiple disciplines without having to study the disciplines separately.

Still More on Finland Education System Facts …

Finland School Hours

In Finland, children are not enrolled for formal education until the age of 7. It is believed that children need to have attained some development standards through interaction with peers before they are enrolled in schools. Therefore, Finnish children are not quickly enrolled in schools. Their parents rather wait for them to further grow mentally and develop a passion for education before they are eventually enrolled in schools.

At the age of 7, Finnish kids are expected to have developed the desire to go to school and as long as this passion stands still, the kids will have a good reason to concentrate on what they are taught. At the primary level, Finnish children spend 10 years in school. Meanwhile, this 10-year learning period is compulsory for every Finn and it means at the age of 16, each Finnish child must have completed his/her compulsory primary education. After the 10-year primary education, Finnish children can decide to further or not and at the age of 16, they have the privilege to choose from either of three options. Meanwhile, these three options are the workforce, Vocational Education, and Upper Secondary School.

In Finland, students don’t resume school so early in the morning. Every day, they resume school within the time range of 9:00-9:45 AM. However, schools might resume earlier on specific days and on some other days, they might resume at a later time.
It was often said that a law might be made to prevent schools from resuming at 9: AM. This suggestion came in the belief that adolescents should be given enough time to relax in the morning before they embark on any activities. The normal closing hour for Finnish schools is either 2:00 PM or 2:45 PM Basically, Finnish schools have different schedules for students and as a matter of fact, these schedules often change. Finns are encouraged to learn through the teaching system that gives room for enough rest. On a daily basis, there are about 3 or 4 classes and each of them has the duration of 75 minutes. Interestingly, students are given a number of breaks so as to revitalize their desire to learn. In that case, there can be a break at the end of the first class just to get students relaxed and prepared for the next class.

Furthermore, Finnish teachers are given more time to engage in planning activities whereas they have only fewer hours to give instructions to students. Based on the report issued by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), an average teacher in Finland takes students for about 4 classes daily and for a year, he/she spends about 600 hours teaching. In Finland, students and teachers do not stay in schools when there are no scheduled lessons. Likewise, they’re not expected to be in school before the time scheduled for classes.

Amazing Finland Education System Facts

Without any skepticism and based on the global ratings for the best education systems, Finland boasts of the best education system and produces level-headed students who come out with the best results during international assessment tests. As regards this impressive statistics, it is worthwhile to highlight some of the amazing facts you might not know about the education system adopted in Finland. So, below are some of the mind-blowing facts about Finland’s education system:

  • Finnish pupils are barely given homework and tests at the primary level
  • After academic enrolment at age 7, students are not evaluated within their first six years in school
  • Finnish students take the only compulsory test at the age of 16
  • About 30% of Finnish students are given additional academic assistance for their first nine years of education
  • About 66% of Finnish students are enrolled in college education
  • All students, regardless of academic ability, receive lessons in the same classrooms –brilliant students are not separated from slow-learners
  • About 93% of Finnish graduates are high school graduates
  • On a daily basis, each Finnish teacher has just 4 hours of classroom period
  • On a weekly basis, every Finnish teacher is given 2 hours specified for “professional development’’
  • There are no private schools in Finland –all students attend government-financed schools and are entitled to equal privileges

Finland Education System vs US

Finland Education System VS US Education System

The differences between the Finnish education system and that of US education systems are very clear. Finland believes in the philosophy of “less is more’’ and the country has excellently driven this into its education system. On the other hand, the United States fancies the policy of `more is more’ and that is actually way too much of time is spent on things.

Finnish children are given qualitative early childhood education and are not enrolled in schools until the age of 7 when they must have grown enough with the desire to be in school. On the other hand, USA is restricted to the 18th position among the countries with the best education systems in the world. This is because the US government barely focuses on how early childhood education could be improved.

Finnish students are rarely given homework because it is considered trivial. Also, it isn’t as important as the interactive learning relationships already established between teachers and students. However, in the US, some students are heavily occupied with homework. In fact, excess time can be spent on classroom studies and students barely have enough time to study outside their classrooms by engaging in interactive learning with peers.

As regards study hours, Finnish students spend few hours in classrooms and do more of interactive learning by relating with peers outside classrooms. In this regard, it is believed that children can learn anywhere especially when they interact with their colleagues. Education in Finland is based on a cooperative motive and barely gives room for students to compete with each other. However, in the United States, most of the learning is done in classrooms and this is the reason why US students spend more hours in school.

Finland Education System Documentary

An average Finnish teacher may have 660 hours as the yearly duration specified for teaching but for a US teacher –of the same calibre –there are more than 1000 hours of yearly duration specified for teaching.

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Tags: Finland Education System Facts 2017, Ranks, Reform, Curriculum, School Hours, Documentary, Finland Education System vs US

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