Ehrenhard Skiera
The education system in a multi-perspective view - Finland as an example
The education system of a country must be regarded as a central institution of modern society.
Human resources can only be trained and developed through education. Thus the possibility
of political and social participation of every person can be ensured. The development of
economy and culture rests on educational foundations, as well as the total living together. The
attempt to outline the education system of a country in its functions, in its structure and its
main areas, suggests a procedure by which the essential conditions and action fields and their
mutual entanglement get visible. As essential aspects the following must be included:
• Regional studies conditions
• History of Education in its relation to the social development
• Alternative school concepts, including with regard to educational differentiation and as an
innovative educational excitation potential for new developments
• The education system in its overall structure, its institutions and pedagogical-didactic
conceptions from pre-school education to vocational training and higher education
• Teacher education and educational research (as support systems for education and education
policies)
• Cultural policy as a means to build non-formal education institutions
• The relationship between education and social services
• Educational issues of minorities
On the background of these aspects then specific questions can be discussed such as the
results of a country in international comparative studies to student performance, problems and
prospects for the further development of education, questions about a possible learning yield
in the study of different education systems.
I’ll choose Finland as an example for this multi-perspective view.
Geography: Not infrequently, the opinion is expressed Finland would be a fairly
homogeneous socio-cultural society. If you look at the religion, that may seem plausible,
because about 80% of the population belong to the Lutheran Church. A closer look shows that
in Finland are living population groups with very different cultural and ethnic background.
Their education issues require their own answers. Finland meanwhile has become
intermediated through immigration a multicultural country or a heterogeneous society.
Geographically, Finland is part of the north of Europe. Fauna and flora of the tundra and taiga
of the far North form the features of landscape and climate. Width sparsely populated regions
in the east and north on the one hand and relatively large urban agglomerations mostly in the
south and south-east on the other hand make specific demands on the cultural and
infrastructural supply. Finland is a parliamentary republic (Finnish: Suomen Tasavalta). His
social constitution as a modern welfare state is now regarded in the country itself as
endangered. The gap between rich and poor, as in many other industrialized nations is also
here increasing. Although located in central European perspective on Europe's edge, Finland
was and remains at the crossroads of different areas of interest and cultural influences. Before
the time of national independence in 1917 the Swedish and Russian influence was strong, and
their influence still is visible until today. Historically, of particular importance is the
development and artistic articulation (in poetry, music, painting, architecture) of a strong
national romantic flow in the second half of the 19th century. Here are the basics of national
sentiment and the effort to build up a national education system based on Finnish language
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and culture. - Newer motifs for the appreciation of education refer to the global structures of
economy and as its result to the conditions of international competition.
History of education: The development of the Finnish school system was early on involved in
Pan-European tendencies. Finland was, and is part of the occidental-Christian culture with an
old and partly poetically reminded archaic heritage from pre-Christian times. This ancient
heritage still plays a certain role in the arts. The history of the school system can be seen as a
struggle of various social forces, namely the Church, the central government and the regional
municipalities. A special feature is the role of schools and school reform in the second half of
the 19th century. The school was considered as an important place in the developing of an
own Finnish heritage, which could and should be fruitfully used for the formation of a
national sentiment – above all against the Russian hegemony. This attitude against the Tsar
was not expressed too openly, but the early school reformers were aware of the politicalemancipatory content of their efforts. Thus, the politico-emancipatory dimension of the school
as well as the culture itself is anchored in deep historical roots. That is one reason for the
enduring societal appreciation of education in today's Finland. However, the national policy
goal orientation prevented by no means the view on other European countries; on the
contrary, Finnish people were eager to learn from other countries. Today's stream of
education tourists to Finland went ahead a now almost 150 years of continuous traveling of
Finnish educators into neighboring countries and in particular to Central Europe.
A particular socio-political facet is connected with the school policy developments at the
community level. Thanks to the constructive cooperation between different social groups in
the construction of the elementary school system during the late 19th century, the separation
of the economic classes in the social life of the communities could be significantly reduced.
School and local school policy had an important role in overcoming the Finnish class society.
Here a characteristic of the later Finnish education policy was fundamentally defined, namely
the broad social and political consensus in the reform perspective of: “equal educational
opportunities for all citizens”.
Alternative schools, New Education: Who does not know the so-called “Old School” with its
numerous moments of coercion? Anyone familiar with the previous situation in the Finnish
schools from their own experience will confirm that “the rod of the disciplinarian” in real or
symbolic-psychological form, an ancient heritage of European school history, also in the
Finnish school system was in operation – maybe even longer than in Central Europe, where
already had emerged numerous alternatives to the authoritarian didactic-methodological
normal form of the school around the previous turn of the century. Also in Finland there were
similar efforts. However, Finland did not form out any school concepts (in the sense of the
New Education Movement) that had found a wider distribution, neither nationally nor
internationally. Nevertheless, the reception and creative adaptation of reform-pedagogical
conceptions played an important role in school development in the 20th century – especially
and almost completely unnoticed abroad, in the development of the internal shape of the nineyear primary school.
The structure of the education system: The present since 1985 fully integrated nine-year
primary school (Finnish: Peruskoulu), a comprehensive school for the approximately 7 to 16year-old children and adolescents, is the result of a decades continuously running educational
policy development process. This process was and is supported by a broad consensus in the
society. The uniform structure, however, does not mean uniformity of teaching – on the
contrary: the Finnish system has the intention, to be adjusted to the diversity of pupils, and
inside school that means differentiation and individualization of learning paths. Even the
numerous reform pedagogically inspired initiatives indicate an internal educational wealth
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and a closer look in the National Curriculum Framework of 1985 and the currently valid of
1998 reveal clearly that the scope for educational variations at community and school level is
significant. At the secondary level (high school and vocational training), there are given many
individual opportunities for choices in the composition of the subjects' canon and courses. –
Due to the generally accepted high importance of early learning the elementary school is
preceded by a pre-school, to which in turn a well-developed coordinated system of early
education is preceded, to meet the various educational needs. - Thus a coordinated system of
educational facilities is developed and provided, starting with early and pre-school education
leading to primary and secondary education and eventually to higher vocational and academic
education. - The openness of the system, corresponding with the openness and the rapid
change of society, requires from the individual high social and decision-making skills. The
individual student is required to develop a viable self-motivation to make good and sensible
decisions for him in regard of learning in school, at extracurricular areas such as consumption,
leisure activities, social life, on possible career opportunities; just to find orientation in a value
heterogeneous, widely open living world. Not infrequently the student is overburdened here.
Since the eighties, therefore a pedagogically-oriented and professionally-based consulting
system in Finland was developed and implemented. This is to prevent problems in the field of
learning motivation, orientation in school and in life in general and referring problems of the
personality development. These efforts also have the function to come closer to the goal of
“equal educational opportunity for all”. - Regarding the tasks of Special Education, so Finland
includes the requirement for the optimal integration of all children in the primary school
(keywords “Inclusive Education” and “Learning differently”). - Special attention should also
be paid to the schools in the underdeveloped regions. All the smaller communities are aware
of this problem, namely that smaller schools are threatened in their existence by emigration
and declining birth rates - with the known consequences of further infrastructural and cultural
impoverishment of the affected regions. Born out of acute hardship there are in Finland now
remarkable and fruitful initiatives to save these schools, even in the realm of teacher
education. Belonging to the University of Oulu a unit of teacher education in Kajaani offers
an educational emphasis in “Pedagogy of small schools”. The historically knowledgeable
reader here feels surely reminded at the country school movements of the 1920s - and what
there was shown on didactic-methodological creativity, will to some extent inspire education
even today.
Teacher education and educational research: If we ask for the most important support
systems of today's education system, the scientific teacher education, educational research and
science-based school development must certainly be mentioned in the first place. With the
academization of teacher education since the 1970s gradually grew up a generation of
teachers in the schools, who see themselves as “investigative and developing teachers”. They
now are acting at the various levels in a competent manner referring educational development
projects – in the classroom, in the school work, in the formation of committees and
curriculum groups of municipalities. This development was supported by the implementation
of the Internet with its high public transparency. Via Internet development processes and
development results can easily be communicated. Finland also participated early as the 1960s
in international performance comparisons studies – with even then quite remarkable results.
Then as today the results are used to design, to implement and to evaluate school development
projects. As an example of practical research development, here can be mentioned the reform
of student assessment, which research-based and taking into account the international research
in this field, has been carried out within the framework of “Research-Teachers” initiative.
Promoting the ability of the student to assess himself and new communicative-promoting
forms of evaluation were given a central place – to get away from the “number grade” given
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by teachers hand, which belongs according to the pedagogue Peter Petersen to the realm of
punishment.
Regarding the teacher education, two aspects are particularly noteworthy: the selection of
applicants and the link between science and practice in education. The entry requirements for
a teaching degree are exceptionally high. Only about 10% of applicants received after a
rigorous selection a place, so that high-performance candidates enter teacher education – in
addition to those that have proven through the purposeful gathering of additional credit points,
a lasting high level of motivation for the teaching profession. They often start teacher training
several years after graduating from high school. The study itself is both science-, researchand practice-based. All teacher training institutions have an attached “Normal School”
(Finnish: Normaalikoulu), a primary school, which acts as university research and practice
school. - During her or his career, the teacher can acquire new skills through training and so
adjust constantly their “market value” according to societal requirements.
Cultural policy and other educational institutions: In addition to the systematically structured
education and training system some other institutions with general accessibility must be
mentioned, which – often in connection with the former system – open up numerous
educational opportunities. Here are to be mentioned in the first place, the coverage established
community libraries, which provide also the more remote regions partly by library buses.
Each year loans of about 20 million show that the Finns are a nation of readers, in fact.
Museums, theaters, folk high schools and community colleges (mostly emerged from the
initiatives of civil and workers' associations), various cultural and sports clubs, free education
institutions in the fields of visual arts, dance, theater, music enrich the educational landscape
with very important facets. The question of the social function of these institutions shows that
even here a change can be observed, which reflects the evolution of the society. Were these
facilities and its accompanying cultural policy initially in the service of national revival and
attitude – heritage of national romanticism and political independence aspirations of the late
19th and early 20th century – they walked up today to a demand-driven market instrument
that serves extremely diverse interests. The cultural policy supports this diversity and in
recent educational policy pronouncements is highlighted the importance of the development
of creative forces for the development of the individual and society through culture, art and
school.
Education and social services: Not always standing in a clearly visible connection, the social
constitution of a society is constitutive for education and its performance. Education policy in
Finland was always understood as social and welfare policy as well. The approximation of life
chances is regarded as an important function of education. Lunch to all students free of charge
granted in elementary school is a small, not only atmospherically important facet of this
endeavor. Behind this is in addition to other and broader welfare projects, the aim of ensuring
equality of educational opportunities and welfare of the population as a whole. The solution of
this huge task appears to some sociologists, social critics and charity workers currently at risk.
Child poverty, material and psycho-social deprivation, even in the “rich” countries are serious
problems, in a comparatively lesser extent also in Finland. To combat these problems by
means of an appropriate family policy and precautionary and pedagogical-sufficient initiatives
in health and education lasts a permanent task of government and politics.
Educational issues and educational needs of minorities: The attempt of the assessment of the
political system of a country in terms of general humanity, respectively, of human rights will
also examine the question of the legal and social situation of minorities. A look at the people
who differ on the basis of objective circumstances from the majority norm, such as cultural
and ethnic background or severe sensory limitations, can give an idea of how in the society is
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dealt with differences. Education is required here in a special way, because for these children
and young people must be granted an appropriate equal education. If we look at the minorities
in Finland, we find very different conditions. While the Roma in the country (colloquially
called “Mustalaiset” – the Black) and often elsewhere in Europe are at the margins of society,
the Finns with Swedish mother tongue, often descendants of the once politically and
culturally leading class, are in a very different situation. Beginning with early and pre-school
education to university Finns with Swedish mother tongue have their own institutions. The
indigenous people of Finland, however, the Saami were increasingly pushed throughout
history north to the northern part of Lapland. Their language and culture was ruthlessly
suppressed for a very long time - with the means of Christian mission and Christian
education, of which the oppressors thought being progressive. In association with
international trends to rescue indigenous cultures in the Scandinavian North a movement has
developed which, among others, also articulates the special educational needs of indigenous
minorities. – Once again, otherwise it is with those people who leave their home countries
because of political and/or economical reasons and come to Finland. Meanwhile (and
curricular defined) teaching in various religions is given, including Buddhism, Baha'i, Islam
and Judaism; also there is mother language teaching in 45 different languages. Taken in a
broad sense, the deaf can be seen as a group of minorities as well; because they communicate
with each other and with their primary caregivers in their own language, the sign language. –
The human right to education has to be applied for all. That includes the task to give the
educational requirements and training needs for the minorities in the country a great deal of
attention. This can only happen in an open society, a society that is open in the sense of
hospitality and open in terms of willingness to elucidate about themselves with scientific and
discursive resources, that is in this context: critical inquiry regarding society’s attitude
towards minorities and towards the heterogeneity related social problems and social tasks.
About the learning Yield: One intention of dealing more deeply with different educational
systems is to move beyond a merely utilitarian or reform-oriented approach. Here the basic
structures of the Finnish education system under systematic and historical aspects could be
outlined. The reformist view is too much in the risk of merely selective perception and than
tendentious interpretation of results, or figuratively speaking: at the risk of water production
for one’s own ideological mill. This does not exclude the question of the learning yield with
respect to a critical perception of one’s own special conditions. According to the philosopher
Gerd Brand “making a difference” is the concrete a priori of any knowledge. When applied to
our subject, this means being able to perceive one's own features better by taking note of the
other in their strengths and weaknesses in a thematical comparison. If the integrity of the
respective reference systems are not lost out of sight, no hasty transfer thinking will be able.
To cite an important example: One may complain that many pedagogically founded initiatives
such as comprehensive school, biennials input stage of basic school, full-day primary school,
six years of primary school, promotion or orientation stage level, testimony without notes –
which often in Germany for instance were scaled back or entirely withdrawn after an election
or with the change of coalitions and governments – and one may admire on the other hand,
the long-term continuity of Finnish education policy. But there is as yet no promising path for
cleaning up the underlying decision-making structures and social contradictions in Germany
so that a similar consensual democratically legitimated development as in Finland could be
initiated. Yet can the sight beyond the borders lead to a better picture of the own situation and
result into – then ever and in some respect different – approaches and steps for new
developments in the various fields of education. This is basically possible for all here
presented levels of action and conceptions, because the tasks are just yet comparable, despite
the very different conditions in Finland and in many other nations.