Finland Educational System

Finland is home to around 5.5 million inhabitants; it is well-known for the breathtaking natural scenery that surrounds it, as well as its excellent quality of life and culture that looks to the future. The outstanding quality of Finland's educational system, which has been consistently ranked among the best in the world for many decades, is, nevertheless, what differentiates Finland from other nations on the globe.

Finland's educational system is founded on fairness, autonomy, trust, and adaptability among its students. Its goal is to ensure that every student, regardless of their background, talents, or hobbies, has an equal opportunity to study and grow to the fullest extent of their ability. In addition, it helps cultivate a culture of trust among educators, students, parents, and policymakers by providing them with more leeway and responsibility in developing and implementing their pedagogies and curriculum. In addition, it is flexible enough to adjust to the shifting requirements and needs of both society and the economy, which helps ensure that students learn the knowledge and abilities pertinent to the 21st century.

Key Features of Finland's Educational System 

Early childhood education and care (ECEC)

Finland provides high-quality and cheap ECEC services for children aged 0 to 6 years old. These programs emphasise children's holistic development, play-based learning, and socialisation. Even though attendance at ECEC is voluntary for parents and children, roughly 75 per cent of kids sign up.

Pre-Primary Education

When a child reaches the age of 6, they are eligible for one year of universally accessible pre-primary education in Finland. This year serves to prepare the kid for formal schooling. The national core curriculum is the foundation for pre-primary education in Finland. This curriculum emphasises learning via play, discovery, and interaction.

Basic Education

From the ages of 7 to 16, students in Finland must participate in nine years of free and mandatory education on a fundamental level. This education spans both the primary and lower secondary levels. The national core curriculum is the foundation of primary education since it specifies the learning goals, subject matter, and universal evaluation standards throughout all fields of study. However, schools and instructors have a great deal of autonomy to create and implement their curriculum, considering the local environment and the requirements and interests of the students in their classrooms. In addition to fostering citizenship, creativity, and critical thinking, basic education offers a comprehensive and well-balanced foundation for further academic pursuits and learning throughout one's life.

Upper secondary education 

Students in Finland can pursue either a general education or a vocational education and training program (VET) for their upper secondary education. Both possibilities are entirely up to the participant, do not cost anything, and often take three to four years to finish. Students have exposure to a broad spectrum of academic disciplines as part of general education, which helps them become ready for further study. Students are better prepared for working because of their vocational, educational, and technical training (VET) in various sectors. Both selections are derived from the national standard curriculum but provide room for personalisation and flexibility. Students also have the option to combine their studies of general education and vocational education or switch between the two.

Higher Education 

Universities and universities of applied sciences (often abbreviated as UAS) are the two primary categories of educational facilities that fall under the umbrella of "higher education" in Finland. Universities often provide academic degrees at the levels of bachelor's, master's, and doctorate study in a variety of subject areas. Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS) confers bachelor's and master's degrees focused on professional preparation in engineering, business, medical care, and social services. Although the state provides the majority of the funding for higher education, students are required to pay a nominal fee on an annual basis to become members of the student union. When it comes to administration, research, teaching, and the overall creation of curricula, higher education institutions enjoy a significant amount of autonomy.

Education for Adults

For those who, at any point in their life, decide to broaden their knowledge base or learn new skills, Finland offers a diverse array of options for continuing one's education as an adult. Formal education, also known as upper secondary or higher education; non-formal education, also known as classes or workshops; and informal learning, also known as self-study or learning from peers, all comprise what is known as adult education. Adult education is funded by various public and private organisations, including educational institutions, businesses, trade unions, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and libraries.

The education system in Finland has accomplished incredible things in recent years, particularly concerning quality, equality, productivity, and innovation. The most recent PISA study, conducted in 2018, found Finland is rated in the top 10 nations in reading, maths, and science. Additionally, Finland boasts one of the most incredible rates of tertiary achievement and one of the lowest rates of students who drop out of school, among the best in the OECD. In addition, Finland is often regarded as a pioneer in educational innovation since the country is constantly exploring new methodologies and technology that might improve the teaching and learning process.

What Pakistan can learn from Finland's Educational Model 

Several problems plaguing Pakistan's educational system include low enrolment and graduation rates, inadequate quality and relevance of learning outcomes, inequitable access and opportunities, a lack of money and resources, and ineffective governance and accountability. Pakistan can learn from Finland's model and overcome these obstacles by embracing some of Finland's most important concepts and practices, such as the following:

Ensuring Equality

Pakistan guarantees that every kid, regardless of gender, socioeconomic class, ethnicity, religious affiliation, or geography, is given the right and chance to receive a high-quality education. To accomplish this goal, more capital must be invested in the educational system, and resources must be distributed more fairly and equitably, particularly to the most underprivileged and marginalised groups and areas. It is also necessary to address the factors such as poverty, violence, discrimination, and cultural norms that prohibit females and members of minority groups from enrolling in school and finishing their education.

Establishing Credibility

Pakistan should cultivate a culture of trust among all parties engaged in the country's educational system, including teachers, students, parents, politicians, and members of civil society. To do this, it is necessary to increase educators' professionalism and autonomy by providing proper training, support, and acknowledgement. In addition, it is essential to include communities and families in the design and administration of schools by developing participatory and transparent systems for decision-making and accountability in educational institutions.

Fostering Adaptability

Pakistan should encourage flexibility in the design and implementation of curriculum and pedagogies by enabling schools and teachers to adjust them to the needs and interests of their pupils and the setting in which they are taught. To do this, the national curriculum must be updated to include a greater variety of subjects and is more open to interdisciplinary study. It is also necessary to encourage instructors to employ more active, student-centred, and collaborative ways of teaching and learning, such as inquiry-based learning, learning via problem-solving projects, and project-based learning.

Advancing Innovation

To encourage innovation in Pakistan's educational system, the country has to establish an atmosphere amenable to inquiry, investigation, and producing new knowledge. More funds must be invested in academic research and development to do this. This may be done by providing financial assistance to educational institutions like universities and research institutes so that they can carry out and distribute studies and discoveries that are pertinent to the field. It also facilitates the spread and adoption of new practices and technology, which may be accomplished by developing platforms and networks that enable educators, researchers, and practitioners to share information and learn from one another.

Pakistan can meet its national and international objectives and commitments, such as the Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) on providing all people with access to excellent education, by adopting the model of Finland's educational system and gaining knowledge from it. Because education is one of the essential factors in human development, social cohesion, and economic progress, this will benefit not just the students as individuals but also society and the economy as a whole.