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Finland · Northern Europe
Perspective, argument, civic debate and public reasoning
A Glimpse Into The Finnish Person-Centered Education System provides an insight into Finland’s education system.
The Finnish Education system is regarded as one of the best in the world, and other nations are striving to emulate its structure of well-paid teachers, plenty of recess time, and less emphasis on homework and tests.
The country’s higher education system also sets a global example of an effective approach to result-oriented pedagogy.
Finland is one of the few nations left in the world where its citizens receive free higher education. Students still have to pay tuition fees, but they are significantly less than those paid in other countries.
The Finnish pavilion at this year’s Venice Architecture Biennale paid tribute to this, with an exhibition of Finland’s public library buildings and their role in education.
Education is a strong part of Finnish culture from pre-school years into adulthood.
A Glimpse Into The Finnish Person-Centered Education System
Children in Finland don’t begin formal education until they reach seven years old, but they do still begin early education through forest school and outdoor play.
Primary and secondary education aren’t as strict as in other nations, but getting a good early education is still essential.
Many adults in Finland also continue their lifelong education through evening classes or regular trips to the library.
It should be noted that Finland has a higher rate of library usage than any other country.
Just as free access to information in libraries is integral to Finnish culture, developing knowledge through free higher education is, too.
Classism is also far less prominent in Finland, extending to education. For many centuries Finland was a primarily arable country and education wasn’t a priority for those who worked on farms in remote communities.
Photo Credit: Finnish Education Department
University was viewed as something only for the upper classes or intellectuals.
Today just as people of any background, social class, and income level can gain equal access to information at libraries, they can do the same thing at universities.
A Glimpse Into The Finnish Person-Centered Education System
This removes a barrier many other countries face: people from working-class backgrounds grow up knowing they won’t be able to attend university or embark on a high-paying career requiring a university education.
Attitudes like these can lead to higher levels of crime, substance abuse, depression, and racial divides.
Free higher education is especially important in Finland since there are more jobs, such as teaching or journalism, that require a master’s degree at the entry-level – as opposed to only a bachelor’s degree or no degree at all in other countries.
This free access to education means that students in Finland can attend university not just to get ahead in their careers but also for the reason that universities exist in the first place – learning for learning’s sake.
While learning essential life skills, students can also read about various subjects at the university library or take elective classes on topics ranging from politics to pop culture to gain a deeper understanding of the world.
They can study what they love without fearing entering the workforce deep in debt.
A Glimpse Into The Finnish Person-Centered Education System
