33 Interesting Facts About Finland Education System
Did you know that Finnish pupils learn no less than 4 foreign languages by the age of 13? Or that they almost don’t have homework to do?
Discover more thanks to these 33 interesting facts about Finland education system! 🇫🇮 🎓
The Best Facts About School in Finland
Finland is a country located in Northern Europe. It is in Scandinavia, and its capital city is Helsinki, which has more than 650,000 inhabitants.
An interesting part of the country that I wanted to tackle is its education. In light of that, I have listed my 33 best facts about school education in Finland, and I hope you will love them:
1. It is hard to become a teacher in Finland: only the top 10 percent of graduates can
Working as a teacher is not easy in Finland. In many other countries, it could be, but being a lawyer or a doctor is harder than being a teacher in Finland!
More precisely, only the top 10 percent of graduates who are qualified to be teachers can actually become one.
2. Every teacher in Finland is highly qualified in Finland
Not only is it quite hard to be in the top percentile of graduates that get to become teachers, but every teacher needs to have at least a master’s degree.
The country highly prioritizes the education of teachers to make sure children are in good hands.
3. In Finland, teachers reassess and rebuild the current curriculum every week for 2 hours
Teachers in Finland constantly try to get better and to adapt their curriculum to their students. Because of that, they spend 2 hours a week on professional development: thanks to this, every class is thoughtfully prepared and perfectly adapted.
4. Students in Finland learn a lot of different languages
Considering how connected the world is nowadays, it feels very useful to be able to speak different languages, especially English, and Finland figured that out a while ago already.
At the age of 11, children are already learning 2 foreign languages (Swedish and English) and they often add a fourth one on top of that around the age of 13!
5. Almost half of the students in Finland attend vocational school
Everything is valuable in Finland, even vocational school, which is too often underappreciated in many other countries.
Thus, around 43 percent of students decide to attend vocational school at the age of 16. The rest of them attend the Finnish equivalent of high school, before going to university.
6. Finnish school is mandatory starting at the age of 7
School starts relatively late in Finland, as children only need to attend it when they are 7 years old. There are preschools like in many other countries, and the education system, in general, encourages them to be more creative and develop as many skills as possible at a young age.
7. Finnish students have the least amount of school hours in the world
The most surprising fact on this list perhaps is that Finnish students have the least amount of school hours per week in the developed world… and yet they have the best results in the long term!
Generally, the school day starts somewhere between 8 and 9 AM and ends at 2 PM.
8. There is no comparison between Finnish schools, in any way
While this is often used in countries like the United States, there is no academic ranking in Finland.
In fact, nothing is compared to something else when it comes to education: schools, regions, but also teachers, and students. For Finnish people, cooperation is success, not competition.
9. Finnish teachers are never graded
Because of how qualified and respected teachers are in Finland, there is no need to grade them. On top of that, the Finnish mindset is that they just do not feel the need to assess their teachers. Each school deals with a failing teacher on its own.
10. School inspections were abolished in Finland
Another unique fact about Finland’s education system is that schools never get inspected.
In fact, this was abolished back in the early 1990s. Instead, schools self-evaluate and are always supported and funded by the state, no matter what. The professionalism of teachers and schools, in general, is trusted in Finland.
11. All schools are the same in Finland: there are no selective nor private schools
When I say that everyone is on equal footing in Finland when it comes to education, I really mean it. There are no selective nor private schools in the country, and all schools are funded through public funds.
Without competition, all is fair and square.
12. Every meal is tasty and free throughout all 9 years of school in Finland
No wonder why kids love school so much, and why Finnish people are so happy in general!
Not only are school meals throughout all of the school years in Finland, but they are also warm and tasty. Since 1943, students can enjoy a hot lunch every day.
13. There is little to no homework in Finland
Slowly but steadily, the role of homework in Finland has become less and less important throughout the years.
Because of that, in basic education, pupils spend on average less than an hour each day! They can enjoy their own activities at home since most of their learning assignments are done throughout the day.
14. Teachers are very well paid in Finland
One of the major reasons for teaching staff shortages in lots of countries is the fact that teachers are underpaid. In Finland, this is absolutely not the case.
The starting salary for teachers is $40,000 per year before taxes, but it can reach $60,000 and even more, depending on other duties they have within the school.
15. Parents are very invested in their children’s education
In Finland, parents participate a lot when it comes to their kids’ education.
For instance, most of the school board members are parents of the pupils. Some of them even voluntarily assist teachers during the school day!
And there you go for the first 15 Finland education facts. But wait, there’s more, there are just too many interesting things I need to tell you about, so keep reading:
More Finland Education System Facts
There are so many things to say about Finland’s education system that I just could not stop after only 15 facts.
Here, have 9 more Finland education system facts:
16. Finnish students are always individually supported from the start of their school years
You must have understood it by now, the Finnish education system is very inclusive, and no one is left lagging behind. As a matter of fact, their mindset is that every kid needs something different, and everyone can have access to special education if needed.
17. Finland uses education as a way to reduce any social inequality
A good reason why education is so different and honestly so good in Finland is that Finnish people want it to “balance out social inequality”.
When you realize how important education is to the future of the country, and how it shapes everything, you create a healthy environment for children to thrive.
18. Every school in Finland is the same, no matter where it is
Obviously, every school is not exactly the same in Finland, but it is provided with the same facility, and there is no differentiation.
No matter if you are in a peaceful rural or in a busy urban area, your children will receive the same quality standard of education.
19. Some of the subjects taught in Finland are very unique and interesting
While most schools in the world focus on serious academic topics, in Finland that is not (only) what children learn.
For instance, poetry, sports, music, cooking, and industrial works are all available to kids. Anything that makes them happy and/or is something new to learn is offered.
20. Students wake up quite late in Finland
It was proven that waking up too early is detrimental to students’ well-being.
Because of that, Finnish schools start quite late and end early, so students have enough time to rest. Indeed, learning more efficiently for a shorter time is way more efficient than having 8-hour days with tons of homework on top of that.
21. Pre-primary education, though not compulsory, is important for children’s improvement
In Finland, like in many countries, pre-primary education is not mandatory, but it is widely used to improve children’s abilities to learn and discover new things.
Obviously, it is free and focuses on showing children as many different activities as possible.
22. Finnish universities are either regular or applied sciences
When it comes to higher education in Finland, universities are based on scientific research and provide education based on it.
On top of that, there are also universities of applied sciences, dedicated to more practical education and to the labor market.
23. Even adults can get liberal education in Finland
Education never stops in Finland. There are non-formal studies, liberal adult education, for adults to keep learning.
As usual, everyone has the right to apply to take part in it, but it does not provide any specific degree, nor is it governed by legislation.
24. For children under school age, there is early childhood education and care in Finland
Even children that are not old enough to go to school are supported in Finland.
Early childhood education and care, or ECEC, is managed by municipalities, and it aims towards promoting children’s development, well-being, and health.
That’s it for all the general Finland school facts.
Even though you might have already understood it by now, I really want to dedicate the last part of this list to tell you why Finland school system is the best in the world:
Why Finland Has the Best Education System?
Finland education model is the best in the world. Not convinced after everything I have already told you?
Here are 9 more facts then:
25. Finnish teachers always stick with students for a few years
While in most countries, students get a different teacher every year, in Finland that is not the case. A teacher sticks with the same group of pupils for around five years.
This means there is a special bond between the teacher and the students, and that they know each other well.
26. The national education curriculum is just broad guidelines
The main problem with the education curriculum in lots of countries is the fact that it is too strict and that everyone has to learn mindlessly.
In Finland however, the curriculum is just a broad guideline, and teachers have the freedom to decide the best methods.
27. Students are paid to go to school in Finland
This is probably the most known fact about education in Finland. And it is true!
The government pays the students in the country to go to university. The monthly allowance is around 500 euros, or $590; compared to the American system where college costs tens of thousands of dollars per year, this is simply great.
28. Children in Finland have little to no pressure in their first years of education
The first years of education in Finland are stress-free for children.
Why? Because, unlike other countries, they are not measured in any way during the first six years. Being free of exam pressure until the teenage years is a huge deal, and a great way to start school.
29. All children are on equal footing in Finland classrooms
Another fantastic reason why Finland has the best education system in the world is that everyone is put on equal footing.
Children who have either learning or behavioral disabilities never fall behind thanks to this, and schools even hire teaching aids to supplement teachers’ efforts just in case.
30. Teachers have the same status as doctors and lawyers in Finland
Most countries do not respect nor value teachers as much as Finland. There, teachers have the same status as lawyers and doctors.
They are highly educated and definitely not underestimated, as they are considered to be pivotal to the future of the country.
31. Foundational basics are hugely emphasized in Finland
The main reason why Finland’s education system is so successful is probably the fact that basics are very important. With such a flexible curriculum, every student can learn at their own pace: both the time and scope are completely changeable!
32. Break times are sacred in Finnish schools
Sure, studying and learning new skills are important, but so are breaks. To be absolutely efficient, students need breaks as much as learning time.
This is why Finland schools allow their pupils to spend 15 minutes on leisure activities for every 45 minutes of learning.
33. Teachers have a lot of time to rest and prepare next classes better in Finland
Last but not least, the fact that teachers in Finland only spend around 4 hours a day teaching in the classroom is another great reason for the country to have the best education system in the world.
This means they can rest more, prepare for upcoming classes better and provide overall better educational content.
So there you have them, these were all my 33 facts about Finland system of education. I hope you enjoyed them and that you learned something new today.
In case you want to learn more, feel free to keep reading, as I still have lots of things to tell you about:
Finnish School Hours
Let’s keep going with our next part, dedicated to Finnish school hours. The typical school schedule in one country can often be very different from your own, and it’s always interesting to have more details on how students go on about their day.
Finland Primary School Schedule
Primary education in Finland starts at around 9 AM and ends at 1 or 2 PM. This evolves depending on what ages the children are, but this is the most common timetable.
Basic comprehensive school is mandatory and lasts from age 7 to age 16, so nine years. During all of these years, no one is selected nor tracked, and there is inclusive special education, as every class is of mixed ability.
Finland secondary education is not mandatory but almost all students keep learning.
Finnish High School Schedule
Students in Finland need to make a choice when it comes to secondary school: general academic education or vocational education.
This is usually not a problem at all, because vocational education is much valued, compared to other countries, and students usually think ahead and decide on their studies with their teacher’s advice.
Then, universities are either general or specialized in applied sciences. There are 17 universities, and 27 universities of applied sciences in the country.
General Facts About Schooling in Finland
This last part is dedicated to general facts about schooling in Finland. More specifically, we’ll check 2 key figures that will give you a better understanding of the education level in Finland.
Enrollment in tertiary education for Finland: 91.07%
(Average for regions: Sub-Saharan Africa: 8.6% | South Asia: 20.8% | Arab States: 36.4% | East Asia: 36.5% | Latin America: 43.3% | Europe and Central Asia: 62% | North America: 84%)
Data from World Bank EdStats/UNESCO
Finland literacy rate: 100%
(Average for regions: Sub-Saharan Africa: 65.3% | South Asia: 72.9% | Arab States: 79.4% | Latin America: 93.7% | East Asia: 95.8% | Europe and Central Asia: 98.5%)
Data from World Bank EdStats/UNESCO
More Education Facts!
Do you want even more education facts about other countries?
Check out these facts:
Or click here to see ALL the education facts up on the blog!
The Full List of 33 Finnish School Facts
- It is hard to become a teacher in Finland: only the top 10 percent of graduates can
- Every teacher in Finland is highly qualified in Finland
- In Finland, teachers reassess and rebuild the current curriculum every week for 2 hours
- Students in Finland learn a lot of different languages
- Almost half of the students in Finland attend vocational school
- Finnish school is mandatory starting at the age of 7
- Finnish students have the least amount of school hours in the world
- There is no comparison between Finnish schools, in any way
- Finnish teachers are never graded
- School inspections were abolished in Finland
- All schools are the same in Finland: there are no selective nor private schools
- Every meal is tasty and free throughout all 9 years of school in Finland
- There is little to no homework in Finland
- Teachers are very well paid in Finland
- Parents are very invested in their children’s education
- Finnish students are always individually supported from the start of their school years
- Finland uses education as a way to reduce any social inequality
- Every school in Finland is the same, no matter where it is
- Some of the subjects taught in Finland are very unique and interesting
- Students wake up quite late in Finland
- Pre-primary education, though not compulsory, is important for children’s improvement
- Finnish universities are either regular or applied sciences
- Even adults can get liberal education in Finland
- For children under school age, there is early childhood education and care in Finland
- Finnish teachers always stick with students for a few years
- The national education curriculum is just broad guidelines
- Students are paid to go to school in Finland
- Children in Finland have little to no pressure in their first years of education
- All children are on equal footing in Finland classrooms
- Teachers have the same status as doctors and lawyers in Finland
- Foundational basics are hugely emphasized in Finland
- Break times are sacred in Finnish schools
- Teachers have a lot of time to rest and prepare next classes better in Finland
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Love the system that you have in education…..want your assistance in this regards.
I am from Pakistan the private school.