Overview of the Education System
In Finland, education is considered a fundamental right of all citizens, and the main objective of Finnish education policy is to offer all citizens equal opportunities to receive education, regardless of age, nationality, place of residence, financial situation, or mother tongue.8
The Finnish government determines the general objectives of basic education and the allocation of instructional time among subjects. The National Agency of Education, which reports to the Ministry of Education and Culture, decides on the objectives and content of instruction and records them in the national core curriculum. Municipalities prepare their local curricula based on this national core curriculum.
The majority of students attend publicly funded schools. Municipalities or consolidations of municipalities maintain most primary and upper secondary level institutions. Private schools receive the same amount of public funding as publicly funded schools. Municipalities have significant freedom in organizing schooling along the general guidelines provided by the Ministry and the National Agency, and schools and teachers have autonomy regarding pedagogical practices and methods of student assessment within the guidelines of the national and municipal curricula.
Before compulsory education begins, a child must participate in one year of preprimary education, which municipalities are obligated to provide. Compulsory education usually starts the year in which a child turns 7 years old. The basic education syllabus spans nine years, which nearly all children complete by attending comprehensive school (Grades 1 to 9). Basic education is free of charge for all students and includes textbooks and other materials, a free daily meal, school health care, and other welfare services.
The upper secondary level comprises general and vocational education. Both have a three year syllabus, and education is mostly free, though students must pay for materials. General upper secondary school ends in a matriculation examination that determines eligibility for higher education studies in polytechnics and universities. The vocational upper secondary qualification examination determines general eligibility for all forms of higher education.