The term education system generally refers to public schooling, not private schooling and more commonly to kindergarten through high school programs. Schools or school districts are typically the smallest recognized form of “education system” and countries are the largest. States are also considered to have education systems.

Simply put, an education system comprises everything that goes into educating public-school students at the federal, state, or community levels:

1. Laws, policies and regulations.
2. Public funding, resource allocations, and procedures for determining funding levels.
3. State and district administrative offices, school facilities, and vehicles.
4. Human resources, staffing, contracts, compensation, and employee benefits.
5. Books, computers, teaching resources, and other learning materials. And, of course, countless other contributing elements

                       Finland, a country rich in intellectual and educational reform has over the years initiated several novels and simple changes that have completely revolutionized their educational system. They have consistently ranked as the number one education system in the world according to rankings from different organizations and institutions, including the Global Competitiveness Report by the World Economic Forum. No standardized tests, no private schools, no stress. Finland’s education system is consistently ranked best in the world.

                                         Finnish people place great value on education. Equal opportunities, professional teachers and a student-centred approach lie at the heart of learning. Research shows that three-quarters of the Finnish population believe that the Finnish comprehensive school system is one of the most noteworthy factors in Finnish history and creates a foundation for wellbeing.

Cornerstones in Finnish education

• Faith and trust in the importance of education. Universal and free education with free school meals.
• Equal opportunities to all pupils whatever their place of residence, gender, family background or financial standing.
• No “dead ends” in the system. Focus on learning, not steering.

• The evaluation of the learning outcomes of schools and students is encouraging and supportive by nature.
• Information that helps both schools and students develop. No national testing of learning outcomes, school ranking lists or inspection systems.
• The strong role of municipalities and schools.

Flexible Education system

1. Finland’s education system gives each student great flexibility.
2. Binding decisions are not expected to be made at an early stage.
3. The road to tertiary education is untracked, with none of the paths leading to a dead end.
4. 50 % to general upper secondary schools.
5. 45 % to vocational education and training.
6. 60 % to universities and polytechnics.

              Student performance in Finnish primary and lower secondary schools is one of the best in the world. Finnish student’s proficiency in reading, mathematics and science in the international PISA assessments has been ranked among the best from year to year.

REASONS WHY FINLAND’S EDUCATION SYSTEM IS THE BEST:

• No Standardized Testing

                   What often happens with standardized testing is that students learn to cram just to pass a test and teachers will be teaching with the sole purpose of students passing a test. Learning is then given little to zero priority.

         Finland has no standardized tests. Their only exception is something called the National Matriculation Exam, which is a voluntary test for students at the end of an upper-secondary school. All children throughout Finland are graded on an individualized basis and grading system set by their teacher. Tracking overall progress is done by the Ministry of Education, which samples groups across different ranges of schools.

• Responsibility above Accountability for teachers

                       In most education systems, a lot of the blame goes to the teachers, and rightfully so sometimes. But in Finland’s education system, the bar is set so high for teachers, that there is often no reason to have a rigorous “grading” system for teachers. According to the director of the Finnish Ministry of Education, Pasi Sahlberg:

“There’s no word for accountability in Finnish… Accountability is something that is left when responsibility has been subtracted.” This sounds great, right?

All Finnish teachers are required to have a master’s degree before entering the profession. Teaching programs are the most rigorous and selective professional schools in the entire country. If a teacher isn’t performing well, it’s the individual principal’s responsibility to do something about it.

• Cooperation above Competition

            While most countries see the educational system as one big competition, the Finnish believe that “Real winners do not compete”

Ironically, this ideal has competitively put them ahead in the international education space. Finland’s educational system doesn’t worry about artificial or arbitrary merit-based systems. There are no lists of top-performing schools or teachers. It’s not an environment of competition – instead, cooperation is the norm.

• Make the Basics a Priority

             Many school systems are so concerned with increasing test scores and comprehension in math and science, they tend to forget what constitutes a happy, harmonious and healthy student and learning environment. Many years ago, the Finnish school system needed some serious reforms.

             The program that Finland put together focused on returning to the basics. They looked to make the school environment a more equitable place. Since the 1980s, Finnish educators have focused on making the following basics a priority:

•       Education should be an instrument to balance out social inequality.
•       All students receive free school meals.
•       Ease of access to health care.
•       Psychological counselling
•       Individualized guidance

Beginning with the individual in a collective environment of equality is Finland’s way.

• Students Start School at an Older Age

            Finns focus on changing every minute details. Students start school when they are seven years old. They are given freedom in the developing childhood years to not be chained to compulsory education. It’s simply just a way to let a kid be a kid. There are only 9 years of compulsory school that Finnish children are required to attend. Everything past the ninth grade or at the age of 16 is optional.

• Professional Options outside Traditional College Degree

                 Many students don’t need to go to college and get a worthless degree or flounder about trying to find purpose and incur massive debt. Finland solves this dilemma by offering options that are equally advantageous for the student continuing their education. There is a lesser focused dichotomy of college-educated versus trade-school or working class. Both can be equally professional and fulfilling for a career.

               In Finland, there is the Upper Secondary School which is a three-year program that prepares students for the Matriculation Test that determines their acceptance into a University. This is usually based on specialities they’ve acquired during their time in “high-school”.

             Next, there is a vocational education, which is a three-year program that trains students for various careers. They have the option to take the Matriculation test if they want to then apply to University.

• Wake Up Later for School

                 Students in Finland usually start school anywhere from 9:00 – 9:45 AM, contrary to most countries where school starts anywhere from 7 am to 8 am. Research from the US National Library of Medicine has shown that early start times are detrimental to student’s well-being, health and maturation.

Finnish schools start the day later and usually end by 2:00 – 2:45 AM. They have longer class periods and much longer breaks in between. The overall system isn’t there to ram and cram information to their students, but to create an environment of holistic learning.

• Consistent Instruction from the Same Teachers

                      Students in Finland often have the same teacher for up to six years of their education. During this time, the teacher can take on the role of a mentor or even a family member. During those years, mutual trust and bonding are built so that both parties know and respect each other.

                   Different needs and learning styles vary on an individual basis. Finnish teachers can account for this because they’ve figured out the student’s own idiosyncratic needs. They can accurately chart and care for their progress and help them reach their goals. There is no passing along to the next teacher because there isn’t one.

• A More Relaxed Environment

                 There is a general trend in what Finland is doing with its schools; Less stress, less unneeded regimentation and more caring. Students usually only have a couple of classes a day. They have several times to eat their food, enjoy recreational activities and generally just relax. Spread throughout the day are 15 to 20-minute intervals where the kids can get up and stretch, grab some fresh air and decompress.

           This type of environment is also needed by the teachers. Teacher rooms are set up all over Finnish schools, where they can lounge about and relax, prepare for the day or just simply socialize. Teachers are people too and need to be functional so they can operate at the best of their abilities.

• Less Homework Required

                    According to the OECD, students in Finland have the least amount of outside work and homework than any other student in the world. They spend only half an hour a night working on stuff from school. Finnish students also don’t have tutors. Yet they are outperforming cultures that have toxic school-to-life balances without the unneeded or unnecessary stress.

                   Finnish students are getting everything they need to get done in school without the added pressures that come with excelling at a subject. Without having to worry about grades and busy-work they are able to focus on the true task at hand – learning and growing as a human being.

Challenges in Finland’s education system

• Economically hard times, growing social disparities

• Youth unemployment

• The growing impact of socio-economic background

• Ageing society; growing welfare expenditure

• Regional development (rural vs urban)

• Migration and multiculturalism

• Gender disparities

• Pupil welfare and safe school environment

• Group size in basic education

• Digital learning and new technologies