FINNISH EDUCATION SYSTEM

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FINNISH EDUCATION SYSTEM

• Aino Juvonen

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FACTS ABOUT FINLAND
Flag

• Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a
  Nordic country situated in Northern Europe.
• Finland is a democratic, parliamentary republic
  with a central government and local governments
  in 415 municipalities.
• Finland joined the European Union in 1995 and has
  invested in NATO-compatibility, though it is not
  a member and has stayed outside defense
  cooperation.
• Republic of Finland

Coat of arms
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EDUCATION SYSTEM IN FINLAND
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.
The tertiary level is divided to the university
and polytechnic systems, whose diplomas are not
mutually interchangeable.
Work ecperience will avail to get degrees.
General upper secondary schools give general
education to students aged about 16-19. Upper
secondary education consists of general upper
secondary education and vocational upper
secondary qualifications.
Initial vocational education is arranged both in
educational institutions and in the form of
apprenticeship training.
Those who have acquired a leaving certificate
from basic education in the same or previous year
can, if they so wish, apply for additional
education (10th grade).
Compulsory education in Finland start with
comprehensive school. Finnish children start
comprehensive school at the age of seven.
There is legislation which requires all
municipalities to provide pre-school teaching
free of charge to all children aged six, but
participation in pre-school education is
voluntary. About 90 of the age group attend to
pre-school.
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OVERVIEW ABOUT FINNISH EDUCATION

• The Finnish education system is an egalitarian
  Nordic system, with no tuition fees for students.
  Pre-primary and comprehensive school are provided
  free of charge for all, and this includes school
  meals, teaching materials, school transport, and
  pupil welfare services.
• The Finnish education system offers everybody
  equal opportunities for education, irrespective
  of domicile, sex, economic situation or
  linguistic and cultural background. The school
  network is regionally extensive, and there are no
  sex-specific school services
• The principle of lifelong learning, the idea that
  people are always capable of learning new things
  at all stages of life, is an important principle
  for all education provision, from basic schooling
  to adult education.
•  Adult education is available at all levels.
  Adults can study for a general education
  certificate or for a vocational qualification, or
  modules included in them, take other courses
  developing citizenship and work skills, or pursue
  recreational studies.

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• The teaching staff in Finnish schools is highly
  educated. Qualifications for all school levels
  require a Master of Arts university degree
  including extensive pedagogical study and
  qualifications in special subjects.
• As the teaching profession in very popular in
  Finland, universities can select the most
  motivated and talented applicants. Teachers work
  independently and have strong autonomy towards
  their work.
• Different teaching methods Textbooks other
  teachingmaterials, The Internet, computers and
  programmes of those, educational movies, field
  trips, homework, remote work, group works,
  projects, intertests, exams, practical
  applications, suggestopedia (etc.)
• Most Finnish schools start the new school year in
  the middle of August. The school year will end in
  spring at the end of May or beginning of June,
  when the pupils summer holiday begins.
• During the year, there are also certain specific
  school holidays The autumn holiday will be
  during week 42 or 43 and last form a few days to
  one full week. Most schools have their Christmas
  holidays between December 22 and January 2 or 7.
  Winter holidays are graded regionally over weeks
  8,9, and 10, starting from the South of Finland.
  But universities, polytechnics, and so on, have
  more and longer holidays.

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COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL

• Compulsory
• Starts at the age of seven and takes nine years
• Free of charge for the entire group (e.g.
  education materials)
• Service include
• - a free fot meal every day
• - school healt care
• - free transport to school for children who
  live too far from the school
• - special instruction for children who are
  unable to participate in ordinary
  comprehensive
• Voluntary morning and afternoon activities for
  pupils

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UPPER SECONDARY SCHOOL

• HIGH SCHOOL
• About 50 of age group
• Free of charge includes a hot meal
• The course-based curriculum, many optional
  subjects
• Takes an average of three years
• Ends with the national matriculation exam

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DUALDEGREE

• Special programmes exist in vocational institutes
  which either require a matriculation examination,
  or allow the student to study for the
  matriculation exam in conjunction to the
  vocational education (dual degree,kaksoistutkinto,
  dubbelexamen).
• The latter are unpopular, because we equate to
  going to two schools at the same time and usually
  take four years.
• My schools

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8.15-9.30
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Mathematics
Swedish
English
9.45-11.00
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Mathematics
Swedish
History
History
11.40-12.55
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Biology
Mathematics
Swedish
English
Biology
13.10-14.25
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English
Biology
History
14.40-15.55
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BASIC VOCATIONAL EDUCATION

• A three years basic vocational education
• Almost all those who do not continue to upper
  secondary schools choose vocational education
• Both general subjects and vocational training
  instruction
• On-the-Job learning period
• Teachers in vocational education need both work
  experience and pedagogical studies

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Business College Helsinki-Malmi

• Malmi Business College Ltd.
• Maintains Business College Helsinki-Malmi
• Owns the school property
• Employs the staff of the school
• Maintains MBC sports hall

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STUDY PROGRAMMESVocational Qualification in
Business and Administration Study Programme in
Customer Services and Marketing Study
Programme in Business Administration Vocational
Qualification in Business Information
Technology Study Programme in Information
Technology Services and Marketing Vocational
Qualification in the Tourism Industry Study
Programme in Tourism Sales and Information
Services Dual Degree Programme leading to
Vocational Qualification in Business and A levels
Specialisations Study Programme in Customer
Services and Marketing
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Students 20.1.2008

• DAY CLASSES 544
• EVENING CLASSES 217
• TOTAL 761

Staff
Full-time teachers 49 Part-time teachers
6 Other staff 21
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History of the school

• Year of foundation 1957
• Own school building in Malmi 1971
• Study programme for students with A levels 1972
• Evening school 1974
• Day classes in Vantaa 1981-1994
• New wing I 1986
• New wing II 1994
• New wing III, own school library 1996
• Remodeling of the student restaurant
  Malmica 1997
• Dual degree cooperation with Malmi upper
• Secondary School 1997
• Incorporation into Haaga Institute Polytechnic
  1.8.1998
• Degree Programme in Information Technology
• and Degree Programme in Travel and Tourism 2000
• New wing IV 2001
• New wing V 2004

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International Activities

• Internationalisation at School
• Normal courses
• International team
• International tutoring
• International theme weeks / activities
• Virtual international activities
• Student mobility
• On-the-Job learning overseas
• International work placements within EU
  (Leonardo)
• Exchange students
• Teacher and staff exchange
• Leonardo
• Grundvig
• International projects
• Comenius
• Leonardo
• eTwinning
• Private projects

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Partner Schools

• NetherlandsROC Midden-Brabant, Tilburg
• Koning Willem I College, sHertogenbosch
• IrelandSt Tiernans Community School, Dublin
• Great BritainPark Lane College, LeedsTavistock
  College, Tavistock
• ItalyIstituto Technico Commerciale di Stato
  "Piero Calamandrei" , RoomaIstituto Technico
  Commerciale A.VOLTA 
• LatviaLiepaja Branch of Riga Technical
  University, Liepaja
• PortugalEscola Secundária de Silves, Institute
  de Joao V, Lourical
• FranceLycée Tezenas du Montcel, St Etienne
• SwedenLundellska Skolan, Uppsala
• Germany
• Berufskolleg Elberfeld, WuppertalStädtische
  Riemerschmid-Wirtschaftsschule, MünichStädtische
  Robert-Bosch-Fachoberschule für Wirtschaft,
  Verwaltung und Rechtspflege, Munich

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Adult Education and Business Support

• ? Professional continuing education
• ? Training for the unemployed
• ? Tailormade courses for companies
• ? Apprenticeships
• ? Cooperation with other educational
  institutions
• ? Vocational diplomas for adults
• ? Fairs

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INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION

• Higher education is divided between Universities
  and Polytechnics
• There is a clear student selection
• - a combination of examination certificates and
  entrance examinations OR
• - examination certificates
• In Finland two thirds of each age group aims at
  higher education
• All school levels are free of charge for the
  pupils
• The government gives financial and social support

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EXCHANGE PROGRAMMES

• Finnish universities and polytechnics cooperate
  extensively with their counterparts in many
  countries throughout the world, therefore there
  are many ways for you to come to study in Finland
  as an exchange student.
• Information acout exchange programmes is founded
  such as Erasmus, Erasmus Mundus, FIRST, ISEP,
  Nordplus, North2North, North-South-South as well
  as other possibilities.
• An applicant who wishes to come to Finland
  through an exchange programme, for instance
  Socrates/Erasmus or Leonardo da Vinci in Europe,
  can get information from the international
  adviser of his/her own institution or from the
  chosen institution.
• If somebody is interested studying a whole degree
  in Finland, s/he can start to search for a
  programme suitable for his/her needs by visiting
  our International Study Programmes database.
  There s/he will find information about over 400
  international study programmes taught in English
  in Finnish universities and polytechnics.

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SUCCESS FACTORS OT THE FINNISH SCHOOL SYSTEM

• (PISA) The tests are administered in schools
  every three years to 15-year-olds in the domains
  of mathematics, science, reading literacy and
  problem-solving skills. Finalnds score (2006) is
  the best result ever achieved in any subject area
  in any of the PISA surveys
• The goal is lifelong learning
• The Finnish school system is based on a culture
  of trust,
• not on control
• The independence of the Finnish schools
• Self-assessment of the schools
• Schools as a important part of the Finnish
  innovation system
• The teaching staff in Finnish schools is highly
  educated and appreciated
• The high educational level of teachers allows
  them to plan their work and choose their methods
  independently
• Relations between teachers and pupils are natural
  and warm
• Further education for the teachers available
• Finland has a comprehensive library network
• (A further factor supporting the learning of
  foreign languages is that Finnish television uses
  subtitles instead of dubbing foreign-language
  programmes.)
• (There are other factors, too, that explain the
  high performance of Finnish pupils. Security and
  motivation are fostered among the youngest
  schoolchildren by having the same teacher to take
  them through the first grades and by not
  measuring their performance by numbers.
  Compulsory school education begins at the age of
  seven, and until then children are free to enjoy
  a childhood at play. Instead of promoting
  comparison among pupils, an important objective
  of the Finnish school system is to support and
  guide pupils with special needs.)

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DIFFERENCES BETWEEN FINNISH AND GERMAN EDUCATION

• In Finland the whole education is free.
  (including school meals, pupil welfare service
  etc.)
• Finnish children start education at the age of
  seven. In Germany they start at the age of five
  to seven.
• In German education students devided to succesful
  and unsuccesful students already after the fourth
  class. To get in to a good school - after that
  has fallen to inferior school is usually
  difficult.
• In Finland its important that children could
  have good education without brutal dropping game
  in a too early age. People develop differently.

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SOME CHALLENGES OF THE FINNISH SCHOOL SYSTEM

• Too well-educated population?
• Enough basic workforce with good vocational
  skills?
• Need of the cut in the number of new student
  places
• Co-operation between the different school levels
• Big or small schools?
• Co-operation between schools and business life
• Increase of the further education and On-the-Job
  learning periods of the teachers
• Well-beeing of the teachers
• Paying attention for the pupils with special
  needs
• Importance of the All-round education

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• DANKE!
• KIITOS!