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Education Policy Report ofthe Finnish GovernmentP U B L I C AT I O N S O F T H E F I N N I S H G O V E R N M E N T 2021:64vn.fi/en
Publications of the Finnish Government 2021:64Education Policy Report ofthe Finnish GovernmentFinnish Government Helsinki 2021
Julkaisujen jakeluDistribution av publikationerValtioneuvostonjulkaisuarkisto ValtoPublikationsarkivet ällningar av rådetsnätbokhandelvnjulkaisumyynti.fiFinnish Government 2021 Authors and Ministry of Education and CultureISBN pdf: 978-952-383-927-4ISSN pdf: 2490-0966Layout: Government Administration Department, PublicationsHelsinki 2021 Finland
Description sheet21 June 2021Education Policy Report of the Finnish GovernmentPublications of the Finnish Government 2021:64PublisherFinnish GovernmentAuthorsEditorGroup AuthorLanguageFinnishPages98AbstractIn its Education Policy Report, the Finnish Government defines guidelines for the advancementof education, training and research to make them match the needs of the country, the peopleand the international community, while securing sustainable development. The Reportpresents the target state for education, training and research, which extends to the 2040s. Itdescribes the changes in resources, structures and steering that are now required to respondto and impact on the drivers of change in the operating environment, and also to create theconditions for a meaningful life for everyone. The target state and the measures needed toachieve it are based on an analysis of the current state of education, training and research andthe key changes in the operating environment.The target state encompasses a strong educational foundation, the well-being and educationalequality of learners, a high level of education and competence, the organisation of educationand research in a socially, economically and ecologically sustainable manner, capitalisation oncooperation and digitalisation, and the internationalisation of education and research.To achieve this, the Report proposes measures that span from early childhood education andcare all the way to higher education and research-based knowledge, liberal adult education,continuous learning, arts and cultural education, basic education in the arts, and studentfinancial aid. The current situation regarding the statutory Swedish-speaking education,the learning of immigrants and that of persons with disabilities, and education in the Saamilanguage is outlined separately, together with the proposed measures for their enhancement.Keywordsearly childhood education and care, education and training, research and development, learningISBN PDF978-952-383-927-4ISBN printed Reference numberURN N PDFISSN printedProject number2490-0966OKM011:00/2020
Kuvailulehti21.6.2021Valtioneuvoston koulutuspoliittinen selontekoValtioneuvoston julkaisuja mäKoulutuspoliittisessa selonteossa valtioneuvosto antaa linjaukset koulutuksen ja tutkimuksenkehittämiseksi niin, että ne palvelevat Suomea, suomalaisia ja kansainvälistä yhteisöäkestävän kehityksen turvaten. Selonteossa esitetään kohti 2040-lukua ulottuva koulutuksenja tutkimuksen tavoitetila sekä tarvittavat voimavarojen, rakenteiden ja ohjauksenmuutokset, joilla vastataan ja vaikutetaan toimintaympäristön muutostekijöihin ja luodaanmerkityksellisen elämän edellytykset kaikille. Tavoitetilan ja sen saavuttamiseksi tarvittavientoimenpiteiden perustana on koulutuksen ja tutkimuksen nykytilan sekä keskeistentoimintaympäristön muutosten analyysi.Tavoitetilana on vahva sivistysperusta, oppijoiden hyvinvointi ja koulutuksellinen tasa-arvo,korkea koulutus- ja osaamistaso, koulutuksen ja tutkimuksen järjestäminen sosiaalisesti,taloudellisesti ja ekologisesti kestävällä tavalla, yhteistyön ja digitalisaation hyödyntäminensekä koulutuksen ja tutkimuksen kansainvälisyys.Tavoitetilan saavuttamiseksi esitetään toimenpiteet varhaiskasvatuksesta korkeakoulutukseenja tutkittuun tietoon, vapaaseen sivistystyöhön, jatkuvaan oppimiseen, taide- jakulttuurikasvatukseen ja taiteen perusopetukseen sekä opintotukeen. Erikseen esitetäänruotsinkielisen koulutuksen, maahanmuuttajien oppimisen, vammaisten ihmisten oppimisensekä saamenkielisen koulutuksen tilannekuva sekä näiden tilannetta edistävät toimenpiteet.Asiasanatvarhaiskasvatus, koulutus, tutkimus- ja kehittämistoiminta, oppiminenISBN PDFISBN painettuAsianumero978-952-383-927-4 Julkaisun osoitehttp://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-383-927-4ISSN PDFISSN painettuHankenumero2490-0966OKM011:00/2020
Presentationsblad21.6.2021Statsrådets utbildningspolitiska redogörelseStatsrådets publikationer rbetad avSpråkfinskaSidantal98ReferatI den utbildningspolitiska redogörelsen ger statsrådet riktlinjer för utvecklingen avutbildningen och forskningen så att de betjänar Finland, finländarna och det internationellasamfundet på ett sätt som tryggar hållbar utveckling. I redogörelsen presenteras envision för utbildningen och forskningen som sträcker sig fram till 2040-talet och fastställsde ändringar som behövs i resurserna, strukturerna och styrningen för att svara mot ochpåverka förändringsfaktorerna i verksamhetsmiljön och för att skapa förutsättningar för ettmeningsfullt liv för alla. Visionen och de åtgärder som behövs för att uppnå den grundar sigpå en analys av nuläget för utbildningen och forskningen samt av de centrala förändringarna iomvärlden.Målet är en stark bildningsgrund, välbefinnande hos alla som lär sig och jämlikhet iutbildningen, en hög utbildnings- och kompetensnivå, utbildning och forskning somordnas på ett socialt, ekonomiskt och ekologiskt hållbart sätt, utnyttjande av samarbete ochdigitalisering samt internationalisering inom utbildningen och forskningen.För att uppnå detta föreslås åtgärder som gäller allt från småbarnspedagogik tillhögskoleutbildning och evidensbaserad kunskap, fritt bildningsarbete, kontinuerligtlärande samt konst- och kulturfostran och grundläggande konstundervisning kontinuerligtlärande, konst- och kulturfostran och grundläggande konstundervisning samt studiestöd.För den svenskspråkiga utbildningen, lärandet hos invandrare, lärandet hos personer medfunktionsnedsättning och den samiskspråkiga utbildningen presenteras separata lägesbilderoch åtgärder som främjar situationen.Nyckelordsmåbarnsfostran, utbildning, inlärning, forskning och utvecklingISBN PDFISBN trycktÄrendenummer978-952-383-927-4 ISSN PDFISSN trycktProjektnummer2490-0966OKM011:00/2020
Content1Education Policy Report’s purpose, basic premises and preparation process . . . . . . . .72Target state – education and research into the 2040s. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123Objectives of education and research and policy actions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143.1 Early childhood education and care, pre-primary education, and primaryand lower secondary education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3.2 Upper secondary education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3.3 Higher education institutions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3.4 Science and research-based knowledge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3.5 Liberal adult education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3.6 Continuous learning – learning in working life. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3.7 Teaching, guidance and other staff. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3.8 Art and cultural education and basic art education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3.9 Student financial aid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3.10 Status and objectives of and actions related to Swedish-language education. . . . . . .3.11 Learning and learning paths for those with a migrant background. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3.12 Learning for people with disabilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3.13 Saami-language education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17253341444750545760626569Situational picture of the education and research system andkey drivers of change. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .974
Publications of the Finnish Government 2021:641 Education Policy Report’s purpose,basic premises and preparation processThe importance of education as well as research, development and innovation aspromoters of economic and social well-being is recognised globally. High expectations areplaced on the possibilities of education to solve societal problems, promote sustainabledevelopment and improve people's lives. Science and research are similarly expected tosolve not only problems related to people's everyday lives and well-being but also majorglobal challenges.In Finland, too, there is a broad consensus on the fact that high-quality education,science and RDI have enabled the welfare and success of Finland and Finnish people byinternational comparisons. Among other things, Finland is the most stable, free, safe andhappy country in the world with the highest volume of human capital. Education, cultureand science have created a foundation that strengthens and renews society, and they willalso continue to do so in the future. Education and culture comprise the dimensions ofknowledge, ethics and democracy alike. Education and culture create preconditions forwelfare, civil society, social inclusion and trust. Learning and exploring are an essentialpart of being human and have an intrinsic value as building blocks of a meaningful life.Education and science also create economic welfare and growth.However, positive development cannot go on without work, significant financialinvestments and the renewal of practices and structures. We must look after theperformance and competitiveness of our education and RDI system in an internationaloperating environment to safeguard the educational and cultural rights and well-beingof children, young people and the entire population. To maintain high quality and impactalso in the future, political will, sufficient resources, and competence in all activities fromdecision-making on education policy to practical education, teaching and RDI work will berequired.In this Education Policy Report, the Finnish Government defines the guidelines foradvancing education and research and ensuring that they will address the needs of thecountry, the people and humankind with a high quality and impact. The Report setsout the target state of education and science into the 2040s. It describes the changes inresources, structures and steering that are now required to respond to and influence thedrivers of change in the national and international operating environment and to createthe preconditions for a meaningful life for everyone.7
Publications of the Finnish Government 2021:64The Ministerial Working Group on Competence, Education, Culture and Innovation and,at the Ministry of Education and Culture, both the Minister of Education and Culture andthe Minister of Science and Culture with the support of senior public officials all took partin formulating the report. A parliamentary monitoring group was appointed on 19 March2020 to support the work on the Education Policy Report. As permanent expert membersof the group were appointed the Permanent Secretaries of the Ministry of Education andCulture, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment and the Ministry of Social Affairsand Health, the Directors General of the Academy of Finland and the Finnish National Boardof Education, and the Director of the Finnish Education Evaluation Centre. The group metfive times. A seminar was organised for around one hundred participants in January 2020,the introductions and workshops of which focused on seeking solutions for responding tochanges in the operating environment and supporting the preparation of the Report. In early2020, virtual brainstorming was organised to collect ideas for building a good future througheducation, training and competence. More than four thousand responses were received.A meeting of scientists discussed research related to equality in education in February.Additionally, more than 30 NGOs were consulted in different ways during the Report’spreparation process. Discussions were held with individual organisations, online discussionevents were organised for different actors, and the subject was deliberated at seminarsarranged by various parties. On 10 December 2020, a request for an opinion on the draftReport was sent to municipalities, upper secondary education providers, universities anduniversities of applied sciences as well as a broad range of other actors and key stakeholdersin the field of education and research. The draft was also published on the web serviceLausuntopalvelu.fi for open commenting. The deadline for submitting comments was 22January 2021, by which date some 330 statements were received.While the Education Policy Report was being prepared, significant education and RDIpolicy reforms were being drafted, whose contents, objectives and impacts are addressedin this Report. The National Roadmap for Research, Development and Innovation wascompleted in April 2020, and its implementation is under way. On 30 December 2020,the President of the Republic approved the Compulsory Education Act, under whichcompulsory education is extended until a young person turns 18. The new Act will applyfor the first time to young people at compulsory education age whose compulsoryeducation under the current Act will terminate in 2021. A parliamentary reform ofcontinuous learning will respond to people’s lifelong need for upskilling and reskilling.The relevant policies were completed in late 2020. The Government report on the need fora reform in integration promotion services also has interfaces with the Education PolicyReport. The Report will be submitted to Parliament in spring 2021.The target state set out in the Report and the measures needed to achieve it are basedon a situational picture of education and science as well as key factors in the operatingenvironment: demographic change, increasing inequalities, technological development,8
Publications of the Finnish Government 2021:64transformation of work and business, the state of the environment and climate change,democracy and human rights as well as internationality and global problems. Thesethemes are examined in Chapter 4.Significant processes driving the change in the structural operating environment include atleast the health and social services reform, the reform of services for families with children, anda review of the relationship between the local and central government in the managementof employment. An employment experiment has been launched in municipalities withthe aim of solving the questions of ownership and division of labour between the state andmunicipalities in the service structure of employment by the end of the government term.Prime Minister Marin’s Government has launched a number of preparation processes thatwill have an impact on regional government structures and the financial carrying capacityof the regions. The objective of the Parliamentary report on regional administration andmultiprofessional counties is to determine the role and position of the county in publicadministration as a whole as well as the tasks that can be transferred from municipalities,joint municipal authorities and the central government to the autonomous regions. Theunderlying aim is not only ensuring the availability and economic carrying capacity ofessential functions of society but also finding appropriate administrative solutions at boththe regional level and in each sector. The health and social services reform will significantlychange the tasks of municipalities, in which early childhood education and care as wellas pre-primary and basic education will be emphasised after the reform. Early childhoodeducation and care as well as pre-primary and basic education are covered by the systemof central government transfers to local government for basic public services, and thesefunctions will account for the greatest part of the central government transfers system inthe future. In addition to education services, the other tasks in the field of education andculture – culture, physical activity and youth services – and cooperation between themwill also be emphasised following the health and social services reform.Education system and its steering, legislation and fundingThe task of the public administration is to safeguard citizens' fundamental rights andservices openly and without discrimination. The key policy instruments of the Ministry ofEducation and Culture are legislation, financing and information-based steering. The actorshave traditionally been trusted with an autonomous status in Finland. The organisation ofteaching and education and higher education institutions’ engagement with their backgroundcommunities vary and are the result of historical development. Early childhood education andcare, pre-primary education and basic education are statutory duties of the municipalities, andmunicipalities are the principal providers of these forms of education. General upper secondaryeducation is often organised in shared facilities with basic education, and their teaching andsupport measures for studies have many structures in common. Clearly more diversity is9
Publications of the Finnish Government 2021:64seen in the provision of vocational education and training (VET). While the municipalitiesalso play a large role in vocational education and training, the most common providermodel is a joint municipal authority, and only the largest municipalities organise VET as soleproviders. However, a significant part of VET is organised by actors governed by private law.All universities of applied sciences today operate as limited liability companies defined in theUniversity of Applied Sciences Act; of the universities, two are foundations governed by theFoundations Act, while the others are bodies governed by public law. Providers of liberaladult education and basic arts education include municipalities and private actors.Finnish education systemThe legislation on early childhood education and care, education and training, scienceinstitutions and research is quite broad and somewhat fragmented and contained indozens of acts and decrees. In addition to legislation on the forms of education, there areseparate statutes on financing, administration, eligibility and social benefits for students.The level of appropriations for the administrative branch of the Ministry of Educationand Culture in the central government budget for 2020 is approx. EUR 7 billion, ofwhich the share of education and science is around EUR 6.3 billion. When examiningthe appropriations, it should be noted that the financing of upper secondary vocationaleducation and training and general upper secondary education, which is administered bythe ministry, includes not only the appropriations included in the state budget but alsothe municipalities' funding shares per resident, which account for a total of EUR 1.4 billion.Financing for early childhood education and care and pre-primary, primary and lowersecondary education covered by the system of central government transfers for basicpublic services administered by the Ministry of Finance is also part of the overall fundingfor education within the purview of the Ministry of Education and Culture. Its share in theorganisation of municipal service provision is approx. EUR 8 billion. Consequently, thetotal amount of public financing for education and science is around EUR 16 billion.In 2017, education expenditure accounted for 5.2% of Finland’s GDP. This proportionexceeded the OECD and EU averages but was lower than in the other Nordic countries.Since 2012, the GDP ratio of Finland's education expenditure has declined somewhatmore than in the OECD and Nordic countries.The cost per student corrected for purchasing power differences in basic and uppersecondary education was also on par with the OECD and EU averages in 2017 but clearlylower than in the other Nordic countries. Measured as constant prices, the cost per studentin Finland decreased by about one per cent annually from 2012 to 2017, compared withan average increase of 1.4 per cent in OECD countries. (OECD 2020a.)10
Publications of the Finnish Government 2021:64 From the perspective of the future of education and cultural services, it will be essentialto come up with structures that will enable the availability of high-quality education andtraining in all parts of Finland. The solutions must also appropriately address the basicmissions of each level and sector of education, science and research and the needs oflearners.11
Publications of the Finnish Government 2021:642 Target state – education andresearch into the 2040sFinland will be a nation with a strong cultural and educational foundationbuilt on effective and high-quality education, research and culture. Diverseeducation and culture that move with the times lay the foundation forequity, well-being, human development and a good life as well as society’srenewal and ability to anticipate and respond to sudden changes. Educationand research and the competence they bring about will reform Finnishsociety and the world of work. Finland is a frontrunner in the production,introduction and application of new knowledge and competence. Newsolutions and practices will be created by combining multidisciplinary andmultisectoral competence.Everyone has the right to learn and grow and to receive the support andguidance they need. The underlying values of education set down in thelegislation will be put into practice equitably across Finland. Every child hasthe right to attend high-standard early childhood education and care. Thepath of increasing educational inequalities will have been reversed. Progresson the study path and learning outcomes will not depend on the learner’sgender, restrictions to physical functional capacity, place of residence, orfamily or cultural background. Early childhood education and care servicesand educational services of a high standard will be available in both nationallanguages, and the special needs of language minorities will be addressed.All learners can feel safe during their day in early childhood educationand care and school, and they will be heard and taken into considerationas members of their communities. Sufficient numbers of competent andcommitted teaching, guidance and other staff will be available acrossFinland, and the staff will regularly improve their competence.Finnish people’s levels of education and competence will be among thehighest in the world. The proportion of children participating in earlychildhood education and care will be at a high Nordic level. Basic educationpupils will achieve world-class learning outcomes. The entire cohort of youngpeople will complete an upper secondary qualification that opens the doorsto further studies and the world of work. At minimum 50% of young adultswill complete a higher education degree. Everyone will have opportunities12
Publications of the Finnish Government 2021:64to develop and update their competence at different stages of their careers,regardless of their background, workplace, place of residence, life situation ordisability. Finnish research will be of a high international standard, seamlesslylinked to education, and drawn on in versatile ways. Education and researchorganisations will create new practices, renew competence, and rejuvenatenational and regional economic structures in close cooperation with theworld of work.Early childhood education and care, high-quality education and competencedevelopment will be organised in both national languages in a manner thatpromotes educational equity and is socially, economically and ecologicallysustainable. Legislation, financing systems and the structures andpractices of the education system will have been updated to promote bothinternational and national cooperation, respond to societal changes andsecure sufficient resources. Organisation of high-quality education and goodlearning outcomes will be ensured throughout the country. Education andqualifications will form a seamless system, and low boundaries within thissystem will enable flexible personal choices. There will be no closed doorsin the education system, and students at every level can apply for a place infurther studies. New technologies will be used extensively and innovativelyto support learning. The digital learning environment will be advanced, andthe information reserves of learning will be available to both people andsociety for promoting learning and pedagogical development. The offer ofdigital education and digital learning platforms and solutions will enablestudying regardless of time and place.Education and culture will be manifested as internationalisation,understanding of diversity, well-being and promotion of sustainabledevelopment. The education system enables migrants and internationalexperts to find their place in Finnish society and the world of work. Finnisheducation and research draw talented people from all over the world toFinland. In global contexts, Finland will work to promote the free flow ofinformation, build trust in scientific knowledge and forge cooperation. Finnswill be active in international education and research networks and take onleading roles in them.13
Publications of the Finnish Government 2021:643 Objectives of education and researchand policy actionsFinnish early childhood education and care and education are based on and promote theprinciple of continuous learning. Continuous learning refers to developing competencethroughout the individual’s life span. Changes in the operating environment will haveextensive impacts on the entire chain and process of continuous learning. To ensure thatour education system will promote continuous learning, it must offer all learners seamlesstransitions within the system and effective connections and interaction with the rest ofsociety.The realisation of continuous learning to a high standard and without discriminationin the future will be hampered by many factors, including demographic change. In thedecades to come, there will be significant differences between the operating conditionsand prospects of the Finnish regions. The shrinking cohort sizes, retirement of localgovernment personnel, problems created by a lack of skilled labour and poor outlook oflocal government finances will make it difficult to organise high-quality, accessible andequitable early childhood education and care and education in the next few years.Ensuring the accessibility, quality and equity of early childhood education and careas well as pre-primary, primary and lower secondary education services will face thecentral government and municipalities with new problems. The current administrative,financing and legislative solutions do not take into account the diverging circumstancesof municipalities in terms of demographic development, quality of services, nondiscrimination and accessibility, support needs, the needs of foreign-language speakers,and the availability of school transport and qualified teachers to mention a few.Upper secondary education allows students to build a strong foundation of knowledgeand skills and develop into active citizens and full members of society. It secures a strongfoundation of general knowledge and ability and vocational competence needed forfurther studies and the transition to working life for the entire cohort of young peopleas well as contributes to the competence development of the working-age population.In the future, upper secondary education must be able to change along with society andthe labour market. The transformation of working life will require changes to the teachingcontents, and the demographic structure will influence the preconditions for organisingeducation.14
Publications of the Finnish Government 2021:64Universities and universities of applied sciences should produce enough highly educatedexperts for the needs of society and the world of work. The current operating structuresand models of higher education institutions do not fully s
För att uppnå detta föreslås åtgärder som gäller allt från småbarnspedagogik till . A meeting of scientists discussed research related to equality in education in February. . The draft was also published on the web service Lausuntopalvelu.fi for open commenting. The deadline for submitting comments was 22
