Traditionally, the education systems of the countries of north-eastern Europe have been considered some of the best in the world. Specifically, the Finnish education system is, among the nations of Europe, the one that stands out from the rest because it is the one that obtains the best results in evaluation reports such as the Pisa Report, according to its progress.

Below, we describe the main characteristics that distinguish this country’s education system. Each of these qualities has contributed to the resounding success of its education system and has set it apart from many other government apparatuses.

What defines the Finnish education system?

The Finnish education system consists, as in most countries, of a series of school stages comprising pre-school education, a basic education that would be equivalent to our primary and secondary education; higher education, characterised by more technical training and a tertiary education that takes place at university.

If we only take into account this structure we can see that it does not differ much from the rest of the educational systems, including the Spanish one. However, the way in which it perceives both the right to education and its conception of students and teachers are the main drivers of its success.

For Finnish society, education is the basis and the future of the country’s development ; therefore a good education will ensure good future professionals. This concept allows all children to have access to a quality public education in which there are no tuition fees and in which transportation and food are fully subsidized.

One of the main objectives of the Finnish education system is to provide equal opportunities for all children to receive an outstanding public education . In this way, the learning process is emphasized more than the performance of examinations or tests.

The way in which the Nordic country conceives of education, and ensures that there are equal rights and conditions for all children, is achieved through the financing with public money of a comprehensive educational system that is committed to excellence in both students and teachers .

The 14 keys of the Finnish education system

The following describes the main keys that distinguish the Finnish education system, which can also help to reflect on our traditional conception of education and on the rest of the current education systems.

1. Free and accessible education

Although this first point is similar to our educational system, there are great differences. In Finland, education received between the ages of 7 and 16 is compulsory and free , with the difference that it must be provided by necessity in public centres.

In addition, school materials, books and food are fully funded by the state, as is transportation if the child lives more than 5 kilometers from the school.

Equitable distribution of the education budget

This means that funds for financing the education system are distributed equitably among study centres.

It is necessary to specify that a fair apportionment is different from an equal apportionment in which all the sites receive the same. In the case of the Finnish system, there is a subsidy base for all the schools , but the amount finally allocated to each one may vary according to its needs, in this way it is sought to equalize all the schools to offer equal conditions.

3. Rigorous selection of professionals

In addition to the requirement for the skills of an education professional, trainee teachers are required to complete a three-year internship. In addition, those who choose to specialize in a particular subject or subject must hold a master’s degree in that subject and study pedagogy.

Once the knowledge and skills expected of them have been obtained, they must participate in a series of very rigorous selection processes in which, in addition to these competencies, the concept that they have of education and of what the education system should be will also be taken into account.

4. Maximum respect for the teaching staff

Due to the rigour in their training and selection, teachers are professionals who enjoy great prestige and authority both in the school environment and in society in general, and therefore are highly respected by all members of society.

5. Constant formation

Teachers are considered to be the centerpiece of education, so their training is vital. For this reason, the teaching body must carry out continuous and complementary training throughout their professional career, which helps them to recycle knowledge and adapt to new educational trends.

6. Appropriate student ratio

Unlike our country, the Finnish education system does not allow a ratio of more than 20 students per classroom, although it can sometimes reach 25. In addition, the figure of the educational assistant is extremely important , it already offers support to the main teacher regardless of the number of students in class.

7. Preparation of classes during the working day

Another of the main differences is that each teacher does not teach so many hours of class , spending the remaining hours of the day organizing the subject, as well as researching and working with other educators.

8. Independence to organize the school curriculum

Although the school curriculum has a common framework and a series of pre-established global lines, each of the educational centres, together with the teaching staff, are responsible for designing and organising this curriculum, with the aim of achieving the established results in the way they consider best.

9. Freedom of choice for students

Motivation and autonomy of students are encouraged , offering progressive freedom of choice in some subjects of study from primary education. In this way, the aim is also to strengthen the students’ sense of responsibility.

10. Education adapted to the needs of the student

The Finnish education system is characterised by an efficient detection of pupils with special educational needs , which starts in the first years of non-compulsory education. These students are then supported and monitored and their difficulties are prevented from increasing.

In addition, standardized tests are avoided and the learning pace of each student is taken into consideration.
Finally, the same teacher is in charge of the same group of students from 7 to 12 years old, guaranteeing a perfect adaptation and a great knowledge of them.

11. Importance of leisure and free time

In addition to education, special importance is given to moments of rest and leisure. Compulsory education does not begin until the age of 7, the school day is much shorter than is usual in other countries, and depending on which educational stages only 3 or 4 classes are taught per day.

In addition, there are breaks between classes and a longer lunch break. Finally, the children do almost all the work in the classes so that homework is avoided.

12. Curiosity is rewarded, not competition

Within the classes, the ability to create, to experiment and the collaboration between students is valued, so curiosity is an essential value. Because of this, hardly any exams are taken and there are no grades until the age of 11 . Teachers’ assessments are purely descriptive.

13. Bullying Prevention

One of the most important keys to the Finnish education system is the emphasis on the development of bullying prevention programmes. Among them is the KiVa Method.
The success of this method lies in not focusing only on the aggressor and the victim, but in seeking to influence other classmates not to participate in these bullying dynamics in any way. As a result, the bully will eventually stop his behavior when he sees that he is not supported by anyone. In addition, the social-emotional skills and the values of the students are also worked on.

14. Parents’ role in learning

The involvement of parents in the development and education of their children is an indisputable concept throughout the country, so that education is complemented from home with other cultural activities.
To facilitate this task, the state offers aid and facilitates the reconciliation of work and family life , with the aim of allowing parents to invest more time in their children.