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The main goals of Finnish education and training policy are to ensure a high level of education and training for all citizens, to promote the spiritual growth of the nation and to enable people to make independent choices. In Finland, all citizens are entitled to basic general education. There are a sufficient number of places available in upper secondary education for all those who have completed their compulsory comprehensive school and there is also an ample number of starting places in higher education. Instruction is given in Finnish and Swedish, and in Sámi speaking areas of Lapland also in Sámi.

Pre-school education is mainly given in day-care centres which are administered by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. It is not obligatory and its aim is to enhance the learning skills of children. The goal is that all Finnish 6-year-olds could receive pre-school education in day-care centres or in comprehensive schools by the end of this century.

Compulsory education in Finland begins in the autumn of the year a child turns seven. There are about 60 000 to 65 000 children in this age group each year. Compulsory education lasts nine years. A voluntary tenth year can also be provided, primarily for those school leavers who do not manage to get a place in further education.

The vast majority of young people continues in upper secondary education after completing comprehensive school: 55 % of the age group went to upper secondary schools and one third opted for vocational training in 1997.

The aim of basic general education is to help young people to grow into good, well-adjusted people and citizens, and to provide them with the necessary skills and knowledge needed in life. Instruction should promote equality in society and give pupils the means to attain the skills needed in further education and to continue developing themselves throughout their lives.

Characteristics of compulsory schools include:

• no special admission requirements
• a uniform school that lasts nine years (there can be a one-year pre-school in the comprehensive school for six-year-olds)
• pupils are normally aged 7 to 16
• gives basic general education
• education is mostly given and organised in the schools
• comprehensive school graduation certificate is given to a pupil who has completed the entire comprehensive school curriculum; no special examination
• provides primary level and lower secondary level education
• gives access to all upper secondary level education
• comprehensive school is attended practically by the whole age group
• special education is organised either in special schools or integrated in normal classes
• some 200 drop-outs yearly – this is less than 1% of the age group (65 000).

Upper secondary schools provide general education and continue the teaching function of the comprehensive schools. There are no grade levels in upper secondary schools, which means that it is up to the students themselves to decide the order and pace of their studies within the limits of course supply and the maximum time allowed for completing studies. The curriculum comprises 120 credits, or so-called "study weeks", and on average it takes three years to complete.

Upper secondary education leads to the national matriculation examination and qualifies students for all post-secondary educational institutions. Almost 50 % of those taking the matriculation examination continue their studies in higher education (universities or AMK institutions). The rest opt for other further education or training, or enter the labour market. Only about 30 % of students enter higher education immediately after upper secondary school. The rest do so after a delay of one or two years.

The curriculum consists of compulsory, general and special courses, which are common for all students. There are also elective applied courses that include combinations of different subjects, and other courses the schools can choose to include in their curriculum independently. Students can choose courses that are taken in another vocational school. The following subjects are studied in upper secondary schools:

• mother tongue (Finnish/Swedish/Sámi),
• foreign languages,
• mathematics,
• natural sciences,
• social studies,
• arts and
• subjects related to human values and beliefs.

Characteristics of general upper secondary schools include:

• all those who have completed comprehensive school are eligible to study in upper secondary schools. The selection criteria are determined by the Ministry of Education and in practice carried out with the help of a national data processing system.
• duration: 2 to 4 years
• virtually all general upper secondary schools function as non-graded, which means that the students’ progress in their studies is not tied to year classes and they have the freedom of choice as to when they take courses
• students must complete the school within a maximum of four years, and it is only possible for a student to be granted more time for the completion on well-grounded reasons
• pupils are normally aged between 16 and 19
• upper secondary schools offer general education, which is needed for entering higher education
• general upper secondary education gives eligibility to all tertiary level education
• two diplomas: 1) The general upper secondary school diploma is given to all students who have completed the whole syllabus; 2) The matriculation certificate is given to a student who passes the compulsory matriculation examination with acceptable grades and is given the general upper secondary school diploma.
• the matriculation examination is a nation wide examination, which tests the maturity of the pupils completing general upper secondary studies; examination gives general eligibility to all tertiary/higher level studies
• yearly, some 2 to 4% of the pupils drop out

The goal of the 1998 law on vocational training (which came into effect on 1 January 1999) is to raise vocational skills and competences and meet the skill needs at the workplace by improving links between schools and employers, thus promoting employment. The training provided in vocational schools covers practically all branches of trade and industry.

The scope of vocational training is very broad and it offers many alternatives for individual choice. The training consists of modules. It is developed in close co-operation with trade and industry in order to meet the changing demands of society. A period of work place training is a compulsory part of studies and gives students an important real-life experience of work and working environments. A broad vocational education and an ability to learn new things help people to succeed in an ever more demanding workplace and to upgrade their occupational skills according to changing job tasks.

Upon completion of a basic vocational qualification or a post-secondary qualification (see Section 9 below), students are awarded a certificate, which specifies the qualification and the study modules completed as well as their grades. Student assessment is based on the following grades: excellent (5), good (4-3) and satisfactory (2-1). If the student fails to reach the pass mark in any given subject, no grade will be indicated in the certificate (although attendance will). In order to obtain a certificate, the student must have passed all the study modules belonging to the programme with at least the grade satisfactory. Students failing to obtain a grade in any given course or wishing to raise their grades may be permitted to retake the exam. The grades are given by teaching staff. The assessment of the on-the-job-learning is made by the teachers or by the teachers and employer representatives together.

The characteristics of vocational training are in brief:

• all those who have completed the comprehensive school syllabus are eligible to study in vocational schools.
• students are selected according to criteria determined by the Ministry of Education, that is, previous study record (average grade of all subjects and grades emphasised in the relevant field), work experience and other entrance tests

• duration: 2, 2½ or 3 years; all qualifications will be extended to 3 years at latest by 2001.
• pupils are normally aged 16 to 19

• vocational education and training can be divided into the following 7 sectors:

• renewable natural resources,
• technology and transport,
• administration and commerce,
• hotel, catering and home economics,
• social and health care,
• culture,
• humanities and education.

• the student receives a diploma after completing all the subjects included in the syllabus; the diploma gives access to further and higher level education studies, but eligibility depends on the length of the study programme in question (indicated in the diploma), as follows: a) three-year programmes give eligibility to all further studies on higher level; b) two-year and two and half-year programmes give access to further studies primarily in vocational post-secondary institutions
• the number of dropouts varies a lot according to the field (e.g. it is thought it varied in 1995 between 5 and 15%).

The teaching staff at vocational training institutions is divided into two categories: permanent teaching staff, and full- and part-time fee-paid teachers. In 1994 vocational institutions had a total of 22 000 teachers, 12 000 permanent, 6 000 full-time fee-paid teachers and 4 000 part-time teachers. Principals and head teachers are counted as permanent staff. In addition, the staff of vocational institutions includes specialist lecturers whose number varies considerably from year to year.

The high qualification standards required of teachers are a further tool of quality assurance and improvement in vocational education and training. At both vocational and general education institutions, teachers must have the relevant qualifications plus a pedagogical education, as well as master the subjects to be taught. At vocational institutions, teachers are required to hold an academic or post-secondary degree in the field concerned as well as three years of work experience.

The length of pedagogic teacher training is 35 study weeks, apart from the training of teachers for technical colleges, whose course programme comprises 20 credit units. Training can be completed within 1 to 3 years. It consists of general pedagogy, subject-pedagogical studies and practical training. The studies may be completed at an AMK institution or at university, depending on the field of study. At university the studies may be completed as part of the qualifying exam or as separate studies. Vocational teacher training provides a pedagogical qualification which enables the holder to teach at all vocational institutions.

Both adults and young people can also acquire a vocational qualification through apprenticeship training. In apprenticeship training vocational skills are learned while working, supplemented by theoretical studies. Apprenticeship training comprises both initial and further vocational training for young people and adults.

Apprentice training takes between one and four years to complete. The emphasis is very much on practical training. Apprentices spend anything between 70 and 90 % of their time training on the job in companies, offices, institutions or organisations. The remainder consists of theoretical studies at school. Out of the 6,100 new students who started apprenticeship training in 1997, 10 % were young people and 90 % adults.

The apprenticeship training given at work places leads to the same vocational qualifications as the ones given in upper secondary vocational institutions. According to the Ministry of Education's action plan and budget for 1998-2001, the number of students starting in apprenticeship training will be further increased in coming years. The target set for 1998 is 21 000 apprenticeship places, including training for both young people and adults.

There were (on 1.8.1999) 24 permanent and 7 temporary experimental AMK institutions (also called Polytechnics). The new system of non-university higher education will be fully established by the year 2000. The AMK institutions award vocationally oriented higher education degrees. They provide training in the seven sectors listed in Section 8 above.

In 1997 there were 40 000 students in the permanent AMK institutions and 13 000 in the temporary ones. The number of students will further increase after the institutions have fully established their activities. AMK degrees qualify students for expert and planning tasks in vocational fields.

The characteristics of AMK institutions include:

• AMK institutions determine themselves the principles of student selection; student selection is based on school achievement, work experience and in many cases, entrance examinations are arranged,
• the scope of the degree programmes is 140 or 160 credits, in other words 3½ to 4 year of full-time studying (for two degrees, midwives and sea-captains, 180 credits). A full-time student must complete his/her studies within one year of the standard duration of the studies, unless the institution makes an exception,
• instruction is primarily organised in institutions. However, studies have also increasingly been transferred outside the institution,
• the compulsory practical on-the-job training, minimum of 20 credits in each degree programme, enables many students to combine their degree work with hands-on job experience and to apply their theoretical knowledge in practice. Topics for degree work come primarily from real problems in working life and often degree thesis subjects are commissioned,
• the AMK institution grants the student a degree after the student has completed all the studies required,
• apart from the degree programmes, the AMK institutions also provide adult education,
• they can also conduct applied research and development that in turn can be used for training in AMK institutions and in trade and industry.

Finnish universities (both traditional multi-disciplinary ones and higher education institutions specialised in a particular subject area) engage in research and offer basic and further academic education up to the doctorate level. There are 20 universities with a total of about 140 000 students.

Students can acquire a lower academic Bachelor’s degree in almost all fields. It is not available in the fields of medicine, dentistry and veterinary science. It consists of general and specialised studies in the major subject and studies in one or more minor subjects. In order to acquire the Master’s degree students have to include advanced studies in their major subject and complete a thesis. After the Master’s degree students can complete a licentiate degree and a doctor’s degree.

The characteristics of universities include:

• universities select their own students, and they decide on the field-specific student intake according to an agreed target number of degrees. There is restricted entry, numerus clausus, to all fields of study.
• because the number of applicants is much greater than the student intake, universities use different kinds of selection criteria
• bachelor's degree consists of at least 120 Credits, in other words, three years of full-time studying
• the minimum scope of the Master's degree in most fields, are 160 credits, in other words, at least five years of full-time studying (two years on top of the Bachelor’s degree)
• the full-time studies for a Doctor's degree take, on average, four years after the Master’s degree. In most fields, it is also possible to take a voluntary pre-doctoral Licentiate degree after two years of full-time studies
• universities also provide further short-term or long-term training in their continuing education centres for employees and university graduates. Their aim is to help people acquire new professional skills to enable them to meet the demands of a rapidly changing working life

There are two separate systems for student counselling: the counselling provided by the education authorities and the career guidance provided by the labour authorities. Both share the goal of helping young students make the right choices in their education, career orientation and life in general. The purpose is to further in students a more methodical and disciplined approach to learning and to prepare them for responsible citizenship. At educational institutions counselling is the responsibility of the student counsellors and other teaching staff. Career guidance includes visits to workplaces and familiarisation with the various opportunities of further education.

Both social support and financial aid are available to young students. The most important mechanisms of social support are as follows:

• as a rule no student fees are charged
• students have free lunch every day
• students may stay at residential homes owned by educational institutions free of charge and
• some institutions subsidise school transport.

Students can also apply for financial aid. The purpose of the financial aid scheme is to safeguard the economic conditions necessary for the pursuit of full-time studies in so far as funding is not considered the responsibility of the student's parents and no other sources of support are available. To qualify for financial aid, students must show they have been accepted to an educational institution, that they are studying full-time and that they are in need of financial aid.

The Finnish adult education system can be divided into two main sectors:

• liberal and general education
• vocational education and training

The history of so-called liberal education in Finland is more than a hundred years long. Liberal education consists of folk high schools, study centres and summer universities that offer non-formal education for adults.

In addition, adults can study the complete comprehensive school or upper secondary school course or individual subjects (see Sections 6 and 7 above). The Open University is currently a very popular form of adult education. Finns can also have their language skills tested in a special examination irrespective of how and where they have acquired their skills.

Vocational education and training is provided for adults who are, or have been, active in working life. It comprises ‘self-motivated’ training, labour market training, in-service training and apprenticeship training (see Section 10 above). Vocational schools and adult education centres provide upper secondary level education for adults. At the beginning of studies, a personal study plan is made for each student.

‘Self-motivated’ training gives adults an opportunity to develop their occupational skills independently of their employer. It is planned to serve the long-term educational needs of adults. The goals of self-motivated training, which leads to a qualification, are usually the same as in vocational training institutions for young people (see Section 8 above). Students can receive a student grant to finance their studies (see Section 13 above). In autumn 1997 a reform which allows the long-term unemployed with a sufficient work record to receive unemployment benefits, even during training, was introduced.

In-company training accounts for the largest number of participants in the adult education sector. It serves the needs and requirements of industry. This is usually short-term training and is financed by employers.

Finnish employment authorities provide a wide range of labour market training. It is practice-oriented and comprises basic, further and continuing training. The purpose of employment training is to combat unemployment by providing training to the adult population. The main target group is represented by the unemployed, but training is also offered to those at risk of losing their jobs as well as groups outside the active labour force. In recent years the unemployed have represented an increasing proportion of those entering employment training. In 1995 the proportion of gainfully employed people or those threatened by unemployment was down to less than 7 %. Special guidance courses on training and working life are also given. The courses are free of charge. Participants can receive a grant equalling their unemployment benefit during training.

The administration of employment training is the responsibility of the Ministry of Labour, which purchases the necessary training services on the basis of offers from educational institutions, universities and private organisations. Other public career and employment services supervised by the Ministry of Labour include placement, career guidance and vocational rehabilitation.

Adults have the opportunity to obtain a formal vocational qualification through special skills tests irrespective of how they acquired their skills in the first place. No previous training or work experience is required in order to take the tests.

The Vocational Qualifications Act came into force in 1994. The purpose was to introduce a skill-based examination open to all adults, regardless of how they had acquired their occupational skills. At the same time, the aim was to raise the educational level of adults, to narrow the generation gap in educational attainment and to install a national quality assurance system covering the whole field of vocational adult education. Previously, learning in vocational adult education was controlled through teaching and national core curricula. The new law introduced a new tool for controlling learning results in the shape of qualification requirements.

There are three kinds of certificates: vocational qualifications, further vocational qualifications and specialist vocational qualifications. The first of these, i.e. the vocational qualification corresponds, in terms of structure, objectives and eligibility for further studies, to the basic vocational qualification at the youth (upper secondary) level (see Section 8 above): candidates should demonstrate that they have the basic occupational skills required in the field concerned. Completion of a further vocational qualification indicates that the person has the skills and competencies required of a skilled worker. A specialist vocational qualification indicates mastery of the most demanding job skills in that field. The adult system includes certain qualifications that are not open to young people.

The number and structure of vocational programmes and qualifications are determined by the Ministry of Education, while the national core curricula and the national qualifications guidelines are drawn up by the National Board of Education (NBE). The core curricula and the national qualifications guidelines provide a general framework for the specific skill requirements of each individual qualification.

Special education caters for groups who due to injury or disability, illness or some other reason are unable to cope in vocational training without special help. Special vocational education and training is provided by specialised vocational institutes and in all mainstream vocational institutions. Training is arranged both in special groups and in groups with other students. Instruction is based on the national core curricula. The curricula for individual schools and study programmes for individual students are drawn up within the framework of those guidelines. Training is provided in the sectors of technology, administration and commerce, hotel, catering and home economics, and horticulture. Teachers and other staff at specialised vocational institutes have special qualifications.

A comprehensive reform of legislation governing basic education, secondary education (general upper secondary education and basic vocational education) and adult education came into force on January 1999. The previous fragmented institutional legislation, based on institution types, was superceded by more concise and concentrated functional legislation. Eight acts replaced 26. The new acts focus primarily on the regulation of educational objectives and contents, levels and forms of education, and students’ rights and responsibilities. The new legislation increases the powers of the providers of education and applies equally to municipal, state and private education.

The new acts impose obligations in regard to inter-institutional co-operation. For example, institutions providing basic vocational education must co-operate with other educational institutions in their region. Co-operation must be practised with other vocational and general secondary institutions, but also with universities and AMK institutions.

A new University Act came into force in autumn 1998, superseding the 20 previous separate acts on universities and other institutions of higher education. The University Act does not apply to the AMK institutions (polytechnics), which are governed by a separate act effective since 1995.

Municipalities and federations of municipalities maintain most primary and upper secondary level institutions. Only about 1 % of primary level institutions is privately maintained. In 1997, 7 % of general upper secondary schools and 17 % of vocational institutions were privately owned.

The municipalities, federations of municipalities and private organisations receive state funding for fixed and operating costs. The funding grounds are usually uniform irrespective of ownership. The state grants and pays the subsidy to the maintaining body of the institution, which is responsible for the operation of the institution in practice.

State subsidies for investments vary from 25 to 50 % of the estimated costs. The state subsidy percentage depends on the amount of the municipality’s tax revenue. State subsidy is also granted to privately owned institutions for investment costs. In order to receive state subsidy for investments, the project must have been accepted by the Ministry of Education in accordance with the national financing plan.

A new system of state financing for operating costs in the field of education and culture was launched at the beginning of 1993, when there was a shift from financing based on expenditure to one based on estimates. The system has assumed its current form after several transitions. In funding primary and secondary education, the state subsidy averages 57 % of the estimated costs, while the share for the municipalities amounts to 43 %. The funding grounds are defined according to the number of students or other performance indicators and the unit price confirmed by the Ministry of Education.

Ministry of Education
PO Box 293
FIN-00171 Helsinki
tel +358 9 134 171
fax +358 9 656 765
http://www.minedu.fi

National Board of Education
PO Box 380
FIN-00531 Helsinki
tel +358 9 774 775
fax +358 9 7747 7865
http://www.edu.fi or http://www.oph.fi

Centre for International Mobility CIMO
PO Box 343
FIN-00531 Helsinki
tel +358 9 7747 7033
fax +358 9 7747 7064
http://www.cimo.fi

Finnish Leonardo Centre
PO Box 380
FIN-00531 Helsinki
tel +358 9 7747 7218
http://www.leonardocentre.fi/

Trade Union of Education in Finland
Rautatieläisenkatu 6
FIN-00520 Helsinki
tel + 358 9 150 271
http://www.oaj.fi

Statistics Finland (TK)
Työpajankatu 13
FIN-00022 Helsinki
tel +358 9 17 341
fax +358 9 1734 2291
http://www.stat.fi

Ministry of Labour
PO Box 524
FIN-00101 Helsinki
tel +358 9 18 561
fax +358 9 1856 7950
http://www.mol.fi

Vocational education and training in Finland. Cedefop.Luxembourg 1997 (also available in FR, DE and FI).

The Education system of Finland 1998. http://www.oph.fi/eurydice/dossier/english/ index.html

Ministry of Education (see also the link sites). http://www.minedu.fi/minedu.html

Education in Finland 1999. Ministry of Education and National Board of Education. Helsinki 1999.

Higher Education Policy in Finland.Ministry of Education. Helsinki 1998.

Labour Ministry Strategy 1998 - 2001. Ministry of Labour. Helsinki 1998.