The Curriculum in Finland

Researcher: Mark Ryan A. Lastrilla

I. Brief Description

With its high levels of educational achievement and attainment, Finland is regarded
as one of the world’s most literate societies. More than 98% attend pre-school classes; 99
% complete compulsory basic education; and 94 % of those who start the academic
strand of upper secondary school graduate. Completion rates in vocational upper
secondary school also reach close to 90%(Statistics Finland, 2010; Välijärvi & Sahlberg,
2008).

In Finland, education is free at all levels from pre-primary to higher education. In

pre-primary and basic education the textbooks, daily meal and transportation for students
living further away from the school are free for the parents. At secondary level and in
higher education the students themselves or their parents purchase their own books. At
secondary level the students have the right to a free meal and in higher education meals
are subsidised by the state. Adult education is the only form of education that may require
payment.

To ensure the opportunities to study for everyone there is a well-developed system of

study grants and loans. Financial aid can be awarded for full-time study in an upper
secondary school, vocational institution, or institution of higher education.

The current thinking in Finland is that the potential of each pupil should be
maximised. Therefore, educational guidance is seen as essential. Guidance and
counselling aims to support, help and guide pupils and students so that they can all
perform as well as possible in their studies and be able to make correct and appropriate
decisions concerning their education and careers.

Guidance and counselling is seen as the work of all education personnel. Thus,
teachers are required to treat the children and young people as individuals and help them
to proceed according to their own capabilities. Learners should also experience success
and joy of learning. Today all pupils and students have the right to educational support.
This support can be remedial instruction or support for the pupil’s special needs.

II. Educational aims and objectives.

• The main objective of Finnish education policy is to offer all citizens equal
opportunities to receive education, regardless of age, domicile, financial
situation, sex or mother tongue. Education is considered to be one of the
fundamental rights of all citizens.

Firstly, provisions concerning fundamental educational rights

guarantee everyone (not just Finnish citizens) the right to free basic
education; the provisions also specify compulsory education. Secondly,
 the public authorities are also obligated to guarantee everyone an equal
opportunity to obtain other education besides basic education according to
their abilities and special needs, and to develop them without being
prevented by economic hardship.

• A major objective of Finnish education policy is to achieve as high a level of

education and competence as possible for the whole population. One of the
basic principles behind this has been to offer post-compulsory education to
whole age groups

III. What are the areas being studied?

The core subjects taught to learners in the basic education syllabus are the mother
tongue and literature (Finnish or Swedish), the other official language, one foreign
language, environmental studies, health education, religion or ethics, history, social
studies, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, geography, physical education, music,
art and crafts, and home economics. Guidance counselling must also be provided for
students.

IV. What teaching methodologies or strategies are used?

In instruction, methods characteristic of the subject are to be used, as are versatile

working approaches that help support and guide the pupil's learning. The function of the
working approaches is to develop social, learning, thinking, working, and problem-
solving skills, and to foster active participation. The approaches must further the
development of skills with information and communication technology. They must also
provide opportunities for the creative activity, experiences, and play characteristic of the
age group in question. The pupils' various learning styles and backgrounds, as well as the
developmental differences between boys and girls and among individuals generally, must
receive consideration.
Alongside the traditional forms of teaching – lectures, demonstrations and
examinations based on lectures and literature – instruction makes increasing use of
other methods, such as essays, projects, seminar and group work. The use of new
information technologies in instruction has also increased.
The aim has been to increase students’ independent and self-motivated study.
There are various forms of project and teamwork and studies have increasingly been
transferred outside the institution.

V. How are the educational institution/organization being administered?

The Finnish Parliament decides on educational legislation and the general

principles of education policy. The government, the Ministry of Education, and the
Finnish National Board of Education are responsible for the implementation of this policy
at the central administration level. The government participates in the costs of schools by
paying the so-called statutory government transfer to the education provider. The role of
the Ministry is to prepare strategic policy guidelines for education, to prepare and share
budget and to prepare educational laws. The main responsibility of NBE is to prepare and
decide about the National Core Curriculum for the Comprehensive School, for Upper
Secondary General and Vocational Education and for Adult Education. NBE is also
responsible for the development of the Finnish education system. Universities have
autonomy and they are guided straight by the Ministry of Education.

The Basic Education Act (628/1998) and Basic Education Decree (852/1998) and the
Government Decree on the General National Objectives and Distribution of Les-son
Hours in Basic Education (1435/2001) govern basic education. These regulations
stipulate such matters as the core subjects taught to all pupils, and the distribution of
teaching hours between various subjects.

VI. Compare the curriculum with the Philippine basic education curriculum.

Comparison between Finland curriculum and Philippine Basic Education

Curriculum
Table 1.
Finland
1.Educational 1.Offer all citizens equal
aims and opportunities to receive
objectives education, regardless of age,
domicile, financial situation,
sex or mother tongue.
2.Achieve as high a level of
education and competence as
possible for the whole
population
Philippines(2002 BEC)
1.To provide knowledge and develop
skills, attitudes, and values essential
to personal development and
necessary for living in and
contributing to a developing and
changing society.
2. Provide learning experiences
which increase the child awareness
of and responsiveness to the changes
in society;
3. Promote and intensify knowledge,
identification with and love for the
nation and the people to which s/he
belongs; and
4. Promote work experiences, which
develop orientation to the world of
work and prepare the learner to
engage in honest and gainful work.

2.The areas *Mother tongue and literature The CORE SUBJECTS:Filipino;

being Studied (Finnish or Swedish)
*The other official language
*One foreign language
*Environmental studies
*Health education
*Religion or ethics, *History
*Social studies
*Mathematics
English; Math; Science (Science and
Health for Elem.); Science and
Technology for Secondary
The Experiential Area:
Makabayan: Araling Panlipunan;
MAPEH (Music, Arts, PE and
health); TLE; Edukasyon sa
Pagpapahalaga (the practice
 *Physics
*Chemistry
*Biology
*Geography
*Physical education *Music
*Art and crafts
*Home economics
3.Teaching *Traditional forms of teaching
methodologies -lectures
used. -demonstrations
-examinations based on
lectures
-literature
*Instruction makes increasing
use of other methods, such as
-essays
-projects
-seminar
-group work
4. How are the * The Finnish Parliament
educational decides on educational
institution/ legislation and the general
organization principles of education policy.
being The government, the Ministry
administered. of Education, and the Finnish
National Board of Education
are responsible for the
implementation of this policy
at the central administration
level. The government
participates in the costs of
schools by paying the so-called
statutory government transfer
to the education provider. The
role of the Ministry is to
prepare strategic policy
guidelines for education, to
prepare and share budget and
to prepare educational laws.
The main responsibility of
NBE is to prepare and decide
about the National Core
Curriculum for the
Comprehensive School, for
Upper Secondary General and
environment for holistic learning to
develop a healthy personal and
national self-identity”.
*Thematic Teaching
*Content-Based Instruction
*Focusing Inquiry
*Demonstration
*Administrative structures of
curriculum development
Development of the basic education
level curriculum is the responsibility
of the Central Office Bureau of
Elementary and Secondary
Education, Curriculum Development
Divisions. This bureau defines the
learning competencies for the
different subject areas;
conceptualizes the structure of the
curriculum; formulates national
curricular policies. These functions
are exercised in consultation with
other agencies and sectors of society
(e.g. industry, socio-civic groups,
teacher-training institutions,
professional organizations, school
administrators, parents, students,
etc.). The subject offerings, credit
points, and time allotments for the
different subject areas are also
determined at the national level. In
this sense, a national curriculum
exists in the Philippines. However,
while curriculum implementation
 Vocational Education and for
Adult Education. NBE is also
responsible for the
development of the Finnish
education system. Universities
have autonomy and they are
guided straight by the Ministry
of Education.
guidelines are issued at the national
level, the actual implementation is
left to schoolteachers. They
determine the resources to be used;
teaching and assessment strategies
and other processes. Furthermore,
schools have the option to modify
the national curriculum (e.g. content,
sequence and teaching strategies) in
order to ensure that the curriculum
responds to local concerns.

References:
Books;
Cf. Bilbao,et.al., Curriculum Development. Lorimar: QC. 2008

PDF;
Aho, E., Pitkänen, K. & Sahlberg, P. (2006). Policy development and reform principles
of basic and secondary education in Finland since 1968. Washington, DC: World
Bank.

Ditapat, Maria, Pelagia, Mariñas, Bella O., Philippines Curriculum Development.

FINLAND Regional Preparatory Workshop on Inclusive Education Eastern and South
Eastern Europe, Sinaia, Romania, 14 – 16 June 2007
OAJ (2008). Teacher education in Finland. Helsinki: The trade union of education in
Finland.
Sahlberg, P. (2007). Education policies for raising student learning: The Finnish
approach. Journal of Education Policy, 22(2), 147-171.
Finnish Curriculum System
Tähkä, Tiina, Vitikka, Erja, Curriculum Unit, Finnish National Board of Education

Websites;
Statistics Finland (2010). Education. Retrieved September 4, 2010 from
http://www.stat.fi/til/kou_en.html.
www.studyinfinland.fi/destination_finland/education_system/secondary_education