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REFORMS IN THE FINNISH SYSTEM OF EDUCATION

A Brief Overview of School Reforms

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In the 12th century, the church was responsible for managing education in Sweden and Finland; Finland was a part of Sweden at the time. In the 18th century, the Lutheran church was essential in developing fundamental reading skills among the Finnish populace. Religion was a fundamental element of school: everyone was required to attend confirmation school, and the ability to read was a prerequisite for Communion and church marriage. Only after the advent of primary school in the 19th and early 20th centuries did writing become widespread. (Antikainen & Pitkänen, 2014)

From the 17th through the early 19th centuries, Finland's education system consisted of a network of secondary schools and the establishment of the first university, Turku Academy, in 1640. With the birth of the natural sciences and the rise of mercantilist economic policy, attempts were made to reform education, but the clergy resisted (Heikkinen, 1983, pp. 43-96).

Middle-19th-century nationalism influenced school reform. The fundamental notion was Bildung, or 'civilization' and 'culture' in Finnish. Hegelian philosopher and Finnish national philosopher Johan Vilhelm Snellman defined Bildung as human, national, and individual development. His belief that "a tiny nation's safety rests on Bildung" is ingrained in Finnish history. Snellman's ideas helped build Finnish national institutions, the 1918 independence proclamation, and practically all succeeding cultural advancements. The Finnish Parliament still has a Bildung committee that handles cultural and educational policy and public funding. (Antikainen & Pitkänen, 2014)

Snellman wanted a basic school system so kids could learn to read. His objective was realized in 1866 when secular authorities took over basic education and founded primary schools. Before that, in the 1840s, the secondary school had been remodelled, and vocational education had begun. At this point, women gained access to academics, which had been male-only. Institutes were formed to train teachers. Other reforms included academic access for women, the construction of teacher education institutions, and the founding of the National Board of Education. Folk schools were founded in the 1860s to meet the educational needs of young adults. The traditional ascription society in Finland was transitioning to a meritocracy.

In 1920, it was evident that the educational system was not matching current needs. About 1% of the population over 15 was illiterate, 29% could not write, and 5% had studied beyond folk school. There was a clear need for school reform. Therefore, compulsory education was instituted in 1921. The whole folk course lasted six years, and the first four years constituted the foundation for individuals who wanted to continue their education in secondary school. An attempt to lengthen the folk school to six years failed due to resistance from the University of Helsinki, secondary school teachers, and the political right. The primary argument opposing lengthening was that it would reduce learning.

From the 1870s to the 1950s, the secondary school expanded nearly without interruption. In 1958, the two-year continuation school was established. 1939 saw the passage of the Law on Vocational Education Institutions, which created public funding for educational institutions. Beginning in the 20th century, the University of Technology and the School of Economics and Business Administration began operating alongside the University of Helsinki. In the following decades, universities were established in other major cities, and a network of universities was established.

Comprehensive Educational Improvements

The comprehensive school, the most significant educational reform in the history of Finland, began in the 1960s. The success of these reforms has been attributed to the political and academic leadership of the 1960s, which allowed schools and teachers to focus on the growth of teaching and learning (Aho, Pitkanen, and Sahlberg, 2006; compare Hargreaves and Fink, 2005). The reform sought a new comprehensive education system. The first significant initiative was passed in 1963. In 1966, a coalition of the Finnish Social Democratic Party, the Agrarian Party (becoming the Centre Party), and the People's Democratic League of Finland adopted comprehensive education reform into its political agenda. The 1968 School System Act was enacted after state committee preparation, negotiations with teachers' unions and other labour organizations, and regional and local government experiments. The primary school and middle school (lower secondary school) were merged to form a comprehensive school, but the high school (grammar school) was separated. The implementation of this comprehensive school reform, based on the equity principle, began in isolated rural parts of northern and eastern Finland in 1972 and was finished in southern Finland in 1977. The following are the fundamental preconditions for the success of the reform process, according to Aho, Pitkänen, and Sahlberg (2006, pp. 39-40):

The basic preconditions for the reforms' success.

• World War II's hardships and experiences built agreement and alleviated social and political conflicts.
• The reform process needed all crucial players.
• The School System Act provided the groundwork for future reforms by outlining the new primary school system and its implementation strategy.
• Restructuring the education system allowed towns to improve youth education and invest in schools.
• High government subsidies.

Teacher training

Important was teacher training (Aho, Pitkanen, and Sahlberg, 2006, p. 50):

• All teacher training must be based on the Matriculation Exam (the national examination of upper secondary education).
• Teacher preparation must last a minimum of three years and result in a Bachelor's degree.
• Classroom and subject teachers must get pedagogical training from the same institutes.
• Teachers' salaries must be connected to their educational attainment.
• Teachers are more advisors and learning guides than information providers and lecturers.
• Teachers' qualifications for the profession must be evaluated.
• Teacher education must encompass general studies, topic studies, pedagogical studies, and school-based training.

The reform progressed quickly. In 1971, a law was passed regulating teacher training, and universities began establishing teacher-training departments inside their faculties of education. In 1978, the Master of Science or Master of Arts degree became the standard teaching degree for both classroom and subject teachers. During the transition, upper grades (7-9) of comprehensive school employed a streaming system to determine a student's eligibility for future study. After it became clear that the system exploited social selectivity, calls to dismantle it grew. Removing streaming was tricky, class sizes were lowered, and the upper-grade teaching budget was boosted to earn teachers' support. The Comprehensive School Act of 1983 provided new grouping principles without streaming. However, implementation was postponed until 1985. The new law required disabled pupils to attend school. Special education was quickly established and credited with PISA achievement (Kivirauma & Ruoho, 2007).

Conclusion

From the 1960s to the 1980s, Finnish society transitioned from a rural to an industrial and Nordic welfare state. State-run comprehensive education grew. Political parties and corporate alliances were weak after WWII. Teachers and schools created national ideals (Säntti 2007). The industrial working class's expansion and the Soviet Union's closeness also influenced Finnish society and culture. University-based teacher education and education science were increased. All levels of school planning and administration improved. Some call it The Era of Teachers' Professional Expertise (Säntti 2007).

References

Aho, E., Pitkдnen, K. & Sahlberg, P. (2006) Policy development and reform principles of primary and secondary education in Finland since1968. Washington, DC: World Bank, Education Working Paper Series

Antikainen, A., & Pitkänen, A. (2014, January). Educational Reforms in Finland.

Heikkinen, A. (1983) From Tradition of Community to Civil Society: History of Education in Finland. Helsinki: Gaudeamus.

Kivirauma, J. & Ruoho, K. (2007) "Excellence through Special Education? Lessons from the Finnish School Reform".

Klaus. (2017). Finland - Country Profile - Nations Online Project. Nationsonline.org.

Хрусталева, А. (2018, November 27). Мифы и правда о финских школах. Materinstvo.ru.

Uusitalo-Malmivaara, L. (2016). EDUCATION SYSTEM IN FINLAND.

Säntti, J. (2007). Construction and change of teacherhood after World War II in Finland in the light of teachers’ life stories. University of Helsinki (Doctoral thesis in education).