Timo Kumpulainen (Ed) KEY FIGURES ON EARLY CHILDHOOD AND BASIC EDUCATION IN FINLAND Publications 2015:4
Finnish National Board of Education Publications 2015:4 ISBN 978-952-13-6144-9 (print) ISBN 978-952-13-6145-6 (pdf) Layout: Grano Oy www.oph.fi/julkaisut Print: Juvenes Print - Suomen Yliopistopaino Oy, Tampere 2015
CONTENT 1 Early childhood education, pupils in pre-primary and basic education... 7 1.1 Early childhood and pre-primary education... 7 1.2 Pupils in basic education...12 1.3 Subjects chosen...16 1.3.1. Languages chosen... 16 1.3.2. Studying religion and ethics... 22 1.4 Completing the syllabus...25 1.5 Transition to further studies after basic education...26 2 School environment... 30 2.1. Teachers in early childhood and basic education...30 The majority of Finnish teachers are qualified... 31 2.2. School network and group size...38 2.3. Support for learning and school attendance...41 2.3.1. Morning and afternoon activities... 46 2.3.2. Pupil welfare services... 47 3 Cost of education... 50 3
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Foreword Dear reader, This report aims at providing a statistical overview of early childhood and basic education in Finland. It focuses on participation in early childhood, preprimary and basic education, the content of education, teachers and the school environment. Our aim has been to highlight perspectives of international interest or characteristics otherwise typical of the Finnish education system. Where applicable, we have also provided international comparisons. OECD s Education at a Glance indicators have been used as sources of comparative data. The main source of quantitative data on Finnish education is Vipunen, www.vipunen.fi, the statistical data service provided by the education administration. The report is divided into two main chapters, the first of which explores the number of pupils in early childhood education, pre-primary education and basic education and the choice of subjects, the completion of the syllabus and admission to further education after basic education. The second chapter concentrates on the school environment containing data on teachers, the school network, group size and measures related to support for learning and school attendance. The report ends with a section on the cost of education. The subchapters each begin with an information box providing the context for the topic at hand and outlining key factors related to the topic. The report has been produced by the Statistics and international affairs unit at the Finnish National Board of Education by the following experts: Markku Hartonen, Senior Adviser Aapo Koukku, Counsellor of Education Timo Kumpulainen, Senior Adviser Matti Kyrö, Counsellor of Education Hanna Laakso, Senior Adviser Kristiina Volmari, Counsellor of Education 5
All the experts involved in preparing the report deserve thanks for their efforts. We would also like to thank Petra Packalén, Counsellor of education, from the Anticipation and strategic development unit for her contribution to this report. The report supports the common perceptions about education in Finland. The strengths of early childhood education and basic education in Finland lie in the equal opportunities to education, the small differences between schools, the well-trained early childhood educators and teachers and the delegation of decision-making to local level. Education in Finland can also considered effective. The cost of basic education is close to the average of OECD countries, the instruction time in compulsory subjects is lower than the OECD average and grade repetition is rare. I hope that this report will help its users by providing and overview of the features and effectiveness of early childhood education and basic education in Finland. Kristiina Volmari Head of Statistics and international affairs Finnish National Board of Education 6
1 Early childhood education, pupils in preprimary and basic education This chapter explores the number of pupils in early childhood education, preprimary education and basic education and the choice of subjects, the completion of the syllabus and admission to further education among pupils in basic education. 1.1 Early childhood and pre-primary education In addition to day-care centres, an important form of early childhood education is family day care. Day care is subject to a fee which depends on family income. Public support is available for the home care of children under three years of age. Participation in pre-primary education is compulsory for all six-year-olds. Local authorities are obliged to arrange day care and pre-primary education. In Finland, all parents of children under school age have a subjective right to day care for their children. Local authorities must arrange these opportunities either as a service provided by the municipality or as a service purchased from private day care providers. Participation in pre-primary education is compulsory for all six-year-olds, from August 2015. 7
In 2013, children aged between 1 and 6 numbered 367 000. Out of them, 62 per cent, or 229 000 children, participated in early childhood education, provided in day-care centres or family day care. In the 2000s the proportion has increased by some percentage points. From an international standpoint, the participation rate is low. This is due to factors such as the availability to the parents of small children of various forms of support enabling the home care of children. In Finland, mothers are entitled to maternity allowance for approximately four months, after which the families are entitled to parental allowance paid to one parent or divided between the parents and paid to both parents simultaneously. Parental leave ends when the child is approximately nine months old. After parental leave, the father can opt to take paternity leave and receive financial support for it. The mother, father or other carer can stay at home to take care of a child under three-years of age and receive child home care allowance. Finland has made the political decision to support the home care of children via government funding. Half of the parents of children under three years of age, i.e. persons entitled to child home care allowance, opt for home care. The majority or 74 per cent of children in early childhood education are cared for in day-care centres paid for by municipalities. A total of 17 400 children (8 per cent) were in the care of nannies hired by the family of private day-care centres supported by private day care allowance. The proportion of family day care has decreased gradually over the past ten years. In 2013, the share of municipal family day care was 15 per cent. 8
5% 38% 49% 8% At home or in other non-supported care In family day care In municipal care Receiving private day care allowance Figure 1. Children aged 1 to 6 in day care and home care (2013) Statistical report 33/2014, National Institute for Health and Welfare There are significant differences in the rate of participation in early childhood education between children of different ages. Children under the age of one are generally cared for at home. Out of children under the age of one, only 0.8 per cent participate in early childhood education, whereas the corresponding figures for one-year-olds and two-year-olds are 29 and 52 per cent, respectively. Since the turn of the millennium, local authorities have been obliged to provide free pre-primary education to the entire age group, but until August 2015 participation in pre-primary education has been voluntary. In practice, almost all 6-year-olds have already taken part in pre-primary education. In 2014, 98.5 per cent of the age group of six-year-olds participated in pre-primary education. Depending on a decision to be taken by the local authority, pre-primary education is arranged in connection with either early childhood education or basic education. Approximately 80 per cent participated in pre-primary education in day-care centres and 20 per cent in schools. Most commonly, the length of a day of instruction in pre-primary education is four hours on workdays during the school year. For the rest of the day, families have the right to receive day care for their children participating in pre-primary education. This right is exercised by the majority of the families. 9
Participation in early childhood education among children over the age of two has increased significantly in the 2000s, but no essential changes have taken place with children younger than this. They are mostly cared for at home supported by child home care allowance. 5-year-olds 4-year-olds 3-year-olds 2-year-olds 1-year-olds 2013 2010 2000 under 1 year of age 0 20 40 60 80 100 Figure 2. Children aged 1 to 6 in day care and home care (2013) Statistical report 33/2014, National Institute for Health and Welfare International comparisons regarding participation in early childhood education can be performed, for example, using an indicator produced by OECD. Even though the rate of participation in early childhood education among Finnish three-year-olds has increased significantly since the beginning of the 2000s, it still remains among the lowest in the OECD countries. In the rate of participation in early childhood education, Finland differs essentially from other Nordic countries. In Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Sweden the participation rate of three-year-olds is well over 90 per cent, while it is 59 per cent in Finland. The European Union target value for participation in early childhood education for children between the age of four and school-starting age is at least 95 per cent. In Finland, this target value thus applies to participation rate among 4- to 6-year-olds, which in 2012 was 75 per cent. 10
Belgium France Denmark Iceland Spain Norway United Kingdom Sweden Italy Germany Estonia New Zealand Israel Slovenia Portugal Japan Hungary Luxembourg Austria Slovak Republic Czech Republic Poland Finland Mexico United States Australia Turkey Switzerland 0 20 40 60 80 100 Age 6 Age 3 Figure 3. Enrolment rates in early childhood education and primary education, 3-year-olds and 6-year-olds (2012) OECD, Education at a Glance 2014 11
The national differences are partly due to statistical factors. The participation rates for Finland do not include children in family day care, but with the harmonisation of international statistics on early childhood education, in future family day care will be included in the statistics. This means that for Finland the participation rate in early childhood education will increase by 10 to 15 percentage points. 1.2 Pupils in basic education Practically all Finnish children complete the nine-year basic education. In 2014, the number of children in basic education was 531 000. Basic education is provided in both national languages, Finnish and Swedish, and in Sámi in the Sámi region. In 2013, approximately 6 per cent of children in basic education were Swedishspeaking. The share of basic education pupils speaking a foreign language was approximately 5 per cent. Out of children in basic education, 25% live in the capital region. In Finland, the amount of instruction time in compulsory subjects is 6 300 hours, which is more than 1 100 hours less than the OECD average. With the diminishing age groups, the number of pupils in basic education decreased until 2013. In 2014, however, the number of schoolchildren turned to a slight increase, reaching approximately 531 000. In 2013, the number of Swedish-speaking children in basic education was 32 700, amounting to 6 per cent of all schoolchildren. 12
Table 1. Pupils in basic education 2008-2014 Year Grades 1-9 Grades 1-9 Voluntary 10 th grade Swedishspeaking pupils Voluntary 10 th grade Swedishspeaking pupils Total Total Swedishspeaking pupils 2008 547 720 33 691 2 676 60 606 329 33 751 2009 540 054 33 462 2 279 62 599 318 33 524 2010 533 219 32 954 2 419 69 593 516 33 023 2011 529 403 32 595 2 279 39 564 277 32 634 2012 527 846 32 357 2 004 44 562 207 32 401 2013 527 671 32 519 1 030 39 561 220 32 558 2014 530 825 32 753 683 27 564 261 32 780 Statistics Finland - Vipunen - statistical service of the education administration According to a population forecast, the number of pupils starting the first year of basic education will continue a slight increase for the next decade, until turning to a decline. According to the forecast, in 2033 the number of children starting basic education would, however, exceed the current figure by a few thousand. 13
Number of persons 80 000 70 000 60 000 50 000 40 000 30 000 20 000 2013 2023 2033 10 000 0 6-year-olds 7-year-olds 16-year-olds 18-year-olds 16- to 18-year-olds on average 19- to 21-year-olds on average Figure 5. Age cohorts of children and young people in Finland in 2013, 2023 and 2033 Statistics Finland Vipunen statistical service of the education administration In an international comparison, the number of lessons hours is low in Finland In Finland, the length of the school year as well as the day of its termination and the framework for the distribution of compulsory lesson hours are governed by statutes. The amount of instruction time in compulsory subjects is 6 300 hours, which is more than 1 100 hours less than the OECD average. Out of the OECD countries, the number of instruction hours in compulsory subjects was the lowest, 5 300 hours, in Hungary. The number of instruction hours was the highest in Spain, with almost 9 000 hours. 14
Duration of primary and lower secondary education, in years Hungary 8 Latvia 9 China1 9 Poland 9 Turkey 8 Slovenia 9 Finland2 9 Korea3 9 Austria 8 Estonia 9 Belgium (Fl.)4 8 Sweden2 9 Slovak Republic 9 Czech Republic 9 Belgium (Fr.)4 8 Greece 9 Germany 3,5 9 Japan3 9 Italy 8 OECD average 9 Portugal 9 Iceland 10 Norway 10 England 9 Denmark 10 Luxembourg 9 Canada 9 France 9 Ireland6 9 Mexico 9 Chile 8 Netherlands7 9 Israel 9 United States 9 Spain 10 Colombia1 9 Australia 10 Primary education Lower secondary education 0 2 000 4 000 6 000 8 000 10 000 12 000 Total number of compulsory instruction hours Figure 6. Compulsory instruction time in general education 2014 OECD Education at a Glance 2014. 15
Foreign-language pupils The number of pupils speaking a language other than Finnish, Swedish or Sámi as their mother tongue in basic education has increased somewhat in the last few years. In 2013, approximately 25 000 pupils with a native language other than Finnish, Swedish or Sámi were studying in Finnish basic education. Table 2. Number of pupils with mother tongue other than Finnish or Swedish 2010-2013 Year 2010 2011 2012 2013 Proportion of all pupils in 2013 (%) Number of pupils 20 801 22 844 25 745 24 525 4.6 Statistics Finland Vipunen statistical service of the education administration 1.3 Subjects chosen Statistics on subject choices in basic education cover studies in national and foreign languages, whether core or optional, ethics and religion and optional subjects forming part of core subjects. Data on language choices indicates what languages the pupils have studied, what the scope of the syllabuses was and how many languages were studied. The languages and courses available depend on the school. Not everyone interested in studying languages can choose freely, as there is no obligation for schools to offer free-choice and optional languages. 1.3.1. Languages chosen Almost 80% of children in comprehensive school study two compulsory languages, which in most cases are English as first and Swedish as second foreign language. Approximately 20% of pupils study at least three foreign languages. As a general rule, pupils start their first foreign language in 3rd grade. In 2013, seven per cent of children began studying their first foreign language already during their first year at school. In less than 10 years, the studying of optional languages has undergone a clear decline, a development that, more than anything, is probably indicative of the narrowing of the selection available. 16
Pupils may study several foreign languages. All languages apart from the school s language of instruction are considered foreign languages. Language selections are generally divided into core (compulsory) and optional languages. Pupils generally begin studying their first language (A1) in their third year of basic education and their second language (B1) in their seventh year. In addition, a pupil may select an optional third language (A2) that begins, by latest, in the fifth year and an optional fourth language (B2) generally starting in the eighth year of basic education. Table 3. Language studies in basic education Syllabus Compulsory/optional Year of starting language A1 core/compulsory most commonly grade 3 A2 free-choice grade 5 by latest B1 core/compulsory grade 7 B2 optional usually grade 8 English is the most commonly studied foreign language No essential changes have taken place in the choice of first foreign language in the last few years. The position of English in relation to other languages is very strong. In 2013, more than 90 per cent of third grade pupils were studying English. The proportion of Swedish appears to have stabilised at one per cent, French at slightly under one per cent and the German at slightly over one per cent. The share of pupils learning Russian has increased slightly from 0.2 per cent to 0.3 per cent. Since 2011, statistical data has also been collected separately on Spanish, although opting for Spanish as first foreign language remains rare. 17
Table 4. Choice of first foreign language. Percentage of pupils per language. Year 2000-2013 2000 2005 2010 2013 English 89.1 90.1 90.5 90.3 Swedish 1.5 1.1 1.0 1.0 Finnish 5.2 5.5 5.2 5.3 French 1.1 0.8 0.9 1.2 German 2.2 1.4 1.3 1.2 Russian 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 Spanish * * * 0.2 Sámi 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Other language 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 A1 languages total 99.3 99.2 99.2 99.5 * Until 2010, Spanish was included in the category Other language ** The percentage values were calculated based on the number of pupils in grade 3 Statistics Finland Vipunen statistical service of the education administration The compulsory language starting in 7th grade is the second national language (=Finnish or Swedish), unless the pupil is already studying it as his or her first foreign language. In Swedish-speaking schools, Finnish is generally studied as first foreign language, and it is thus not compulsory for the pupils to study a second foreign language. In Finnish-language instruction, the second, compulsory language is Swedish. Almost a third study free-choice languages As concerns optional languages, the studying of German in particular has become less common. Instead, Russian and Spanish have seen a slight upward trend in recent years, even though the actual numbers of pupils remain relatively small. 18
Table 5. Choice of optional language in grade 5. Percentage of pupils per language. Year 2000-2013 2000 2005 2010 2013 English 9.7 8.3 7.6 8.0 Swedish 7.0 7.7 7.5 7.8 Finnish 0.4 0.3 0.8 0.6 French 3 2.9 2.8 2.6 German 14.4 8.6 5.5 5.6 Russian 0.4 0.3 0.6 1.1 Spanish * * * 0.7 Sámi 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.1 Other language 0.1 0.2 0.4 0.1 A2 languages total 35.1 28.5 25.3 26.6 * Until 2010, Spanish was included in the category Other language ** The percentage values were calculated based on the number of pupils in grade 5. Statistics Finland Vipunen statistical service of the education administration In 2013, only one in ten basic education pupils had opted for a second optional language beginning in eighth grade. 19
Table 6. Choice of second compulsory foreign language in grades 8-9. Percentage of pupils per language. Years 2000-2013 2000 2005 2010 2013 English 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.1 Swedish 0.1 0.2 0.0 0.0 Finnish 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 French 6.3 5.4 4.7 2.9 German 11.0 6.6 6.7 4.7 Russian 0.8 0.6 1.4 1.7 Spanish * * * 1.6 Italian * * * 0.1 Sámi 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Latin 0.6 0.5 0.3 0.2 Other language 0.2 0.6 1.8 0.1 B2 languages total 19.4 14.1 14.9 11.3 * Until 2010, Spanish and Italian were included in the category Other language ** The percentage values were calculated based on the number of pupils in grades 8 to 9. Statistics Finland Vipunen statistical service of the education administration The studying of optional languages has declined since the early years of the 2000s, primarily due to a reduction in the offering of optional languages by municipalities. In general, the amount of instruction in the less-studied languages is sufficient to employ a teacher full-time only in the major cities. 20
40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 35.1 28.5 25.3 26.6 19.4 14.1 14.9 11.3 2000 2005 2010 2013 First optional language (A2 languages) total Second optional language (B2 languages) total Figure 7. Pupils studying optional languages in basic education in 2000-2013 (percentage of all pupils) Statistics Finland Vipunen statistical service of the education administration There has been a reduction in the number of pupils studying German in particular. Studying Russian and Spanish has become slightly more popular in recent years. In 2013 Russian was studied as an optional language in 25 municipalities and Spanish in 7. In the town of Lappeenranta, located near the Russian border, 9% of pupils study Russian as first foreign language and almost 16% as first optional language. 21
1.3.2. Studying religion and ethics Religion or ethics constitute a compulsory subject in basic education. The majority of pupils in basic education, almost 92%, study Lutheranism. The education provider must provide instruction in the pupil s own religion, in case pupils representing a given religion number three or more. Approximately three per cent study some other religion, such as Orthodox Christianity or Islam. Ethics is a subject aimed at non-members of religious communities. Its starting points include philosophy and social and cultural sciences. In recent years, the share of ethics education has increased. In the capital region, almost one in ten pupils study ethics. Different religions and ethics are studied in grades 1 to 9 of basic education and in voluntary additional basic education. In 2012, the studying of ethics and religion was divided as follows: 92 per cent of pupils studied Lutheranism, four per cent ethics, less than two per cent Islam, more than one percent Orthodox Christianity and under one per cent other religions. Less than one per cent of pupils did not participate in the instruction of religion or ethics, for example due to an individual education plan. Studying religion or ethics is compulsory In a comparison between 2009 and 2012, the studying of ethics/religion subjects other than Lutheranism has seen a relative increase. The rise was the greatest in the studying of Islam, which until 2012 was categorised under Other religions. The studying of ethics has increased in recent years as well. 22
Table 7. Pupils studying religion or ethics 2009-2012 2009 2010 2012 % % % Lutheranism 93.3 92.9 91.9 Orthodox Christianity 1.3 1.3 1.4 Ethics 3.0 3.2 4.0 Other religions 1.7 1.9 0.5 Did not participate in the studying of religion or ethics 0.7 0.7 0.7 Islam 1.5 Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 - From 2010 onwards the data is collected once in two years - Until 2010, Islam was categorised under other religion Statistics Finland Vipunen a statistical service of the education administration The situation in instruction in ethics in the capital region differs from the average for Finland as a whole. The share of pupils opting for ethics instead of religion is 9 per cent in the capital region, which is more than double the average for Finland as a whole. The studying of Islam is also significantly more common in the capital region than in the rest of Finland. Particularly in Helsinki, the number of pupils receiving instruction in the various ethics/religion subjects differs essentially from other parts of Finland. In 2012 in Helsinki, almost 15 per cent of pupils in grades 1 to 6 studied ethics and the number of pupils studying Islam was 7 per cent of all pupils. The proportion of pupils studying Lutheranism was slightly over 72 per cent. Other optional subjects Other optional subjects can be choices within the compulsory curriculum (core subjects) or freely chosen chosen subjects offered by the education providers or schools. No national-level statistical information has been collected on other optional subjects to be decided at school level. 23
Table 8. Choice of optional subjects in basic education. Number of pupils per subject. Boys Girls Total Mother tongue and literature 3 107 8 620 11 727 Second national language 233 468 701 Mathematics 2 531 1 822 4 353 Physics 912 385 1 297 Chemistry 1 139 569 1 708 Geography 209 140 349 Biology 1 812 1 803 3 615 Religion 217 200 417 Ethics 31 26 57 Environment and nature studies 407 286 693 History 1 303 688 1 991 Social studies 1 892 1 321 3 213 Music 9 777 15 203 24 980 Visual arts 11 485 24 528 36 013 Physical education 31 567 17 619 49 186 Health education 163 251 414 Textile work 963 17 898 18 861 Technical work 33 539 2 926 36 465 Home economics 34 675 39 788 74 463 Other subjects 23 250 15 471 38 721 Total 159 212 150 012 309 224 Statistics Finland Vipunen a statistical service of the education administration The most popular optional subject as part of core subjects is home economics. Physical education, visual arts and music also constitute popular optional subjects. 24
1.4 Completing the syllabus Compulsory education ends when the basic education syllabus has been completed or ten years have passed since the beginning of compulsory education. Practically the entire age group completes the basic education syllabus and receives a basic education certificate. In 2013, the number of persons who had completely neglected their obligation to complete compulsory education was 85 and the number of those who had passed compulsory education age was 117. Almost the entire age group completes the basic education syllabus and receives basic education certificate. A basic education certificate is awarded to a person when he or she has satisfactorily completed the entire basic education syllabus. In 2013, approximately 60 000 pupils completed basic education. Children in compulsory education must take part in instruction provided under the Basic Education Act or otherwise obtain skills and knowledge corresponding to the basic education syllabus. The parent of a child must ensure that the pupil completes his or her compulsory education. The municipality of residence is obligated to monitor the progress of a child in compulsory education if the pupil does not participate in instruction provided under the Basic Education Act. Table 9. Number of pupils who did not complete basic education in 2009 to 2013 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Pupils Pupils Pupils Pupils Pupils Those who neglected their obligation to complete compulsory education Those who have passed compulsory education age 39 41 95 86 85 150 162 85 126 117 Total 189 193 180 212 202 Statistics Finland Vipunen a statistical service of the education administration 25
Pupils who have neglected their obligation to complete compulsory education are not issued the basic education certificate. Annually, the number of those who have neglected their obligation to complete compulsory education is very small. In 2013, the number of persons who had completely neglected their obligation to complete compulsory education was 85 and the number of those who had passed compulsory education age was 117. 1.5 Transition to further studies after basic education After the completion of basic education, young people apply to further education electronically via the joint application system. The objective is to guarantee everyone completing basic education a study place on the next level of education. Despite this, some fail to gain admission, as the aspirations of the applicants and, in particular, the offering of vocational education and training in terms of fields of study do not meet. In major cities, there are significant differences in the popularity of general upper secondary schools. Some of the schools are left with many unfilled study places, whereas in others the number of applicants exceeds the number of places offered multifold. In 2013, 41% of young people completing basic education continued their studies immediately in vocational education and training, and the corresponding figure for general upper secondary education was 50%. In 2013, approximately 5 300 young persons, i.e. 8% of those completing basic education, did not gain admission to education leading to a degree. It is also possible to extend basic education by opting for one year of voluntary additional basic education. In 2013 3.3% of those completing basic education continued their studies immediately in the voluntary, additional tenth grade. The majority of those completing basic education apply to further education either in a general upper secondary school or in vocational education and training. The admissions process is carried out electronically via a joint application system between vocational education and training and general upper secondary education. Applicants may state a maximum of five institutions/ fields of study in their order of preference. In the admissions process, the applicants are rated based on the points scored. The majority of the applicants are admitted to the educational institution and programme they have indicated as their first preference. 26
Some of those completing basic education continue in post-basic education preparatory training. Those who have completed basic education may also apply for general upper secondary education provided by folk high schools. The Ministry of Education and Culture grants licences for the provision of general upper secondary education. Providers of vocational education and training are also awarded a licence by the Ministry. The licence states the fields of vocational education and training in which the education provider in question may provide education and training. Intake in vocational education and training is determined according to a national plan based on the anticipation of educational needs. The objective is that after graduation, young people would have a realistic opportunity of finding employment in their own field. In spring 2015, upper secondary level educational institutions offered 45 500 study places in vocational upper secondary education and training and 38 500 study places in general upper secondary schools. According to population statistics, the number of 16-year-olds in Finland at the end of 2014 was slightly under 61 000. Study places in upper secondary education numbered 1.4 times that, due to the fact that young people from several different age groups apply particularly for vocational upper secondary education and training. The objective is to guarantee everyone completing basic education a study place on the next level of education. Even though quantitatively, there are enough study places for everyone applying for upper secondary education, some fail to gain admission, as the wishes of applicants and the offering of vocational education and training in terms of the fields of study do not meet. The most popular fields of education in the joint application system of 2015 were social services, health and sports, humanities and education and culture. The number of applicants indicating a primary preference in these fields was 1.5 times the rate of intake in the said fields. Qualifications in the field of social services, health and sports offer good opportunities for employment, as the need for labour force in the caring professions is increasing with the ageing of the population. Culture remains a popular field of study even though opportunities for employment are not particularly good. 27
Table 10. Most popular fields of vocational education and training in spring 2015 Intake Primary candidates Vocational education and training 45 491 46 267 1.02 - Humanities and education 689 1 037 1.51 - Culture 2 790 4 019 1.44 - Social sciences, business and administration 5 135 5 042 0.98 - Natural sciences 1 374 1 547 1.13 - Technology, communications and transport 19 402 17 405 0.90 - Natural resources and the environment 2 572 2 262 0.88 - Social services, health and sports 7 863 11 159 1.42 - Tourism, catering and domestic services 5 666 3 796 0.67 General upper secondary education 38 552 33 326 0.86 Total 84 043 79 593 0.95 Primary candidates/ intake Statistics Finland Vipunen a statistical service of the education administration General upper secondary education has clearly more study places than firstpreference applicants, but even those applying for a general upper secondary school are not necessarily admitted to the school of their primary preference. Significant differences in the popularity of general upper secondary schools are mainly found in the major cities. In practice, supply and demand do not always meet from a regional perspective. Some of the schools are left with many unfilled study places, whereas in others the number of applicants exceeds the number of places offered multifold. Out of fields of study in vocational education and training, tourism, catering and domestic services and natural resources and the environment have significantly more study places than primary preference applicants. Yet, the points scored by all first-preference applicants are not sufficient for admission. 28
The majority of those completing basic education continue directly to education leading to a degree In 2013, 94.8% of young people completing basic education continued their studies in the same year in general upper secondary education, vocational education and training or voluntary additional basic education. The situation has remained almost the same compared to previous years. In 2013, 41.5 per cent (24 000) of young people completing basic education continued their studies immediately in vocational education and training, and the corresponding figure for general upper secondary education was 50 per cent (30 300). Table 11. Immediate transition of those having completed basic education to upper secondary education leading to a degree and to voluntary additional basic education in 2011-2013 Year 2011 2012 2013 number % number % number % Pupils completing 9th grade of basic education, total Continued studies immediately in general upper secondary education Continued studies immediately in vocational education 63 194 100 61 059 100.0 59 581 100.0 31 368 49.6 30 539 50.0 30 267 50.0 26 064 41.2 25 360 41.5 24 013 41.5 Continued studies in 10 th grade 2 279 3.6 2 004 3.3 1 843 3.3 Did not immediately continue to studies leading to a degree or 10th grade 3 483 5.5 3 156 5.2 3 458 5.2 Statistics Finland Vipunen a statistical service of the education administration Almost 3 500, or 5.2%, of those completing basic education fail to gain admission in education covered by the statistics used in the preparation of this report. The majority of them did, however, continue to preparatory education, such as education provided by schools of domestic economy, preparatory or rehabilitating instruction and guidance for people with disabilities, preparatory education for immigrants for vocational training, workshop activities or institutions of liberal adult education. 29
2 School environment The chapter on school environment focuses on teachers, group size, the school network and measures and forms related to support for learning and school attendance. 2.1. Teachers in early childhood and basic education In Finland, teachers qualification requirements, working hours and salary are determined according to the level at which they serve. The lowest qualification requirements, a bachelor s degree from a polytechnic or a university, apply to early childhood education and pre-primary education provided in day-care centres. On all other levels, a master s degree is required. Teacher qualifications Early childhood education and pre-primary education provided in connection with daycare: university or polytechnic bachelor s degree with a minimum of 60 ECTS points in early childhood education and care Pre-primary education in schools: master s degree with a major in pedagogy or bachelor s degree with a minimum of 60 ECTS points in early childhood education and care Class teachers (generalists in grades 1-6 of basic education): master s degree with a major in education Subject teachers (in grades 7-9 of basic education): master s degree with a minimum of 120 ECTS points in one of the subjects taught, 60 ECTS points in other subjects taught and 60 ECTS pedagogical training More information https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/fpfis/mwikis/eurydice/index.php/ Finland:Teachers_and_Education_Staff 30
The majority of Finnish teachers are qualified The lowest qualification rate can be found in early childhood education and care. In municipal day care, some 85 per cent of kindergarten teachers are qualified. In pre-primary education provided in schools, however, 95 per cent of the teachers are qualified. Out of full-time teachers and principals in basic education, more than 90 per cent are qualified. The qualification rate is the highest among full-time teachers with permanent contract and principals (97 and 96 per cent). After 2005, the qualification rate of full-time teachers with permanent contract has increased by two percentage points, whereas the qualification rate of principals has undergone a decline of similar proportion. In Swedish-language basic education, the situation is clearly worse than in Finnish-language instruction. Out of principals and teachers in Swedish-language basic education, 79 per cent are qualified. 100 90 80 70 60 50 2005 2008 40 30 20 2010 2013 10 0 Principals Full-time teachers with permanent contract Class teachers and pre-primary teachers in schools SEN teachers Teachers of immigrants Full-time teachers with permanent contract Principals and full-time teachers total Part-time teachers Total Figure 8. Percentage of formally qualified teachers in basic education by type of position in 2013 Statistics Finland 31
Out of subject teachers, teachers of the Sàmi language, the mother tongue of immigrants and optional, less-popular languages as well as religions other than the major religion Lutheranism are most commonly not qualified. Qualification rate is the lowest among special class teachers and full-time teachers (73 and 78 per cent). However, both groups have exhibited a clearly rising trend. Out of part-time teachers, only 38 per cent are qualified. The qualification rates of teachers vary regionally. The situation is the poorest in the Helsinki-Uusimaa region, which includes the capital region and nearby municipalities. Out of class teachers in this region, 88 per cent are qualified. With special needs teachers, the situation is the poorest in numerous regions in Southern Finland. In these regions, the qualification rate varies between 60 and 67 per cent. One reason for this is thought to be that more decisions granting special support are made in this region than elsewhere. In other regions, the issue is language: in Swedish-speaking areas qualified special needs teachers can be difficult to find. Majority of teachers over fifty The ageing of teachers as a profession is a significant concern in Finland. Even though there are plenty of applicants for teacher education, the largest age group in almost all teacher groups is over 50-year-olds. In the age distribution of principals in particular, there is an emphasis on the older age group. Even though it is understandable that people do not qualify as principals at a very young age, the share of under 40-year-old rectors still remains very small, just 7.7 per cent. 32
70 60 Under 40 40-49 50 and over 50 40 30 20 10 0 Basic education total Principals Full-time teachers, permanent contract Class teachers/ pre-primary teachers in schools SEN teachers Teachers of immigrants Full-time teachers Part-time teachers Figure 9. Teachers and principals by age group in basic education in 2013 Statistics Finland In an international comparison, the situation in Finland is not among the worst. In basic education, the proportion of teachers over the age of 50 is slightly under the average of OECD countries. The OECD average is 30 per cent in primary school and 34 per cent in lower secondary school. 33
Teaching as a profession is valued in Finland The working time and salaries of teachers are agreed upon in the collective agreement for teaching personnel The working time of teachers is defined mainly as teaching hours With subject teachers, the number of hours taught varies according to the subject taught Teachers enjoy plenty of autonomy in their work: they are responsible for the assessment of pupils and are free to decide on matters such as the learning material used and often also purchases to be made by the school In basic education, teachers working hours are defined as teaching hours. The number of weekly teaching hours varies according to the teacher s position and the subject taught. In early childhood education and care and in pre-primary education provided in connection with day-care, the weekly working time of personnel amounts to slightly over 38 hours. Table 12. The weekly number of lessons for teachers (one lesson is 45 minutes) Pre-primary teachers in schools 23 Class teachers 24 Special needs teachers 24 Special class teachers 22 Mother tongue and literature 18 Foreign languages 20 Mathematics, physics, chemistry, ICT, arts and music 21 Religion, ethics, history, civics, home economics, business studies, health, biology and geography 23 Crafts, PE, guidance and counselling 24 In addition to his or her teaching hours, teachers are required to use three hours per week on activities such as in different meetings, communication with parents and the development of the school. 34
In an international comparison, the number of teaching hours of Finnish teachers is moderate. For example, the number of teaching hours by Finnish secondary school teachers was the fifth lowest in OECD countries. The number of hours the teachers were required to spend at school premises was the lowest in Finland. The TALIS 2013 survey by OECD examined the weekly use of time by teachers. The weekly working time of Finnish teachers was among the lowest in the countries participating in the study. When the average for all of the countries was 38 hours per week, in Finland the average weekly working time for teachers was 32 hours. The TALIS survey also examined working time by activity. Japan Singapore Australia Korea Sweden Denmark Czech Republic Spain Latvia Estonia Poland Norway Iceland France Netherlands Finland 0,0 20,0 40,0 60,0 Teaching Planning or preparation of lessons Team work with colleagues Marking/correcting Student counselling & supervision School management Administrative work Communication & cooperation with parents Extracurricular activities Figure 10. Teachers working hours. Average number of 60-minute hours lower secondary education teachers report having spent on the following activities during the most recent complete calendar week. Selected countries from TALIS 2013 Results: An International Perspective on Teaching and Learning OECD 2014 Teachers in Finland spend the majority of their working time on teaching and the preparation of lessons. Administrative tasks are relatively few, compared to teachers in other countries. Finnish, Estonian and French teachers spent the least amount of time on cooperation with their colleagues. 35
Teachers were satisfied with their work and how their profession is valued in society, and over 85 per cent of Finnish lower secondary school teachers participating in the TALIS survey stated that if they could decide again they would still choose to work as a teacher. Almost 60 per cent were of the opinion that their work is valued in society. The average proportions in TALIS were 78 and 35 per cent respectively. Teachers salaries represent the international average Teachers salaries are agreed nationally as part of collective agreements negotiated between the representatives for the employers, most commonly municipalities, and the teachers. The salary depends on the position in question and its requirements as well as the teacher s performance, his or her level of professionalism and work experience. In addition, a bonus can be paid based on the performance of the institution. Extra duties, such as being responsible for the school choir or language laboratory, are also compensated for. Years of service in public administration and teaching experience lead to increments. In case of schools located in a major cities or in particularly remote areas, the location of the school also affects the salary. The salaries are approximately 3 per cent higher in such areas. In an international comparison teacher salaries are average in Finland. Also the salary development with years in the profession is quite modest. 120 000 100 000 80 000 60 000 40 000 20 000 0 Estonia Hungary Czech Republic Greece Poland Israel Chile Sweden Italy France Scotland New Zealand Belgium (Fr.) Norway Finland Belgium (Fl.) England United States Australia Denmark Netherlands Germany Luxembourg Pre-primary education Primary education Lower secondary education Figure 11 Annual average salaries (including bonuses and allowances) of teachers in public institutions by level of education, in equivalent USD converted using PPPs for private consumption. Country selection based on availability of data OECD Education at a Glance 2014. 36
Teachers salaries are also relatively competitive compared to the salaries of other higher education graduates. Table 13. Actual average monthly gross salaries of teachers in euro 2014 Kindergarten teachers 2 600 Pre-primary teachers in schools 3 100 Class teachers 3 500 Subject teachers 3 800 Principals 5 200 Bachelor s degree holders 3 400 Master s degree holders 4 500 Statistics Finland When comparing the different teacher groups, kindergarten teachers in daycare institutions earn the least. The most obvious reason for the difference is the qualification requirement. Kindergarten teachers in day-care institutions are required to have completed a bachelor s degree, whereas a master s degree is required from teachers working in schools, including pre-primary teachers. Compared to other higher education graduates, the salaries of teachers are 15 to 30 per cent lower than those of other wage earners with a corresponding education level. The salaries of principals are higher compared to teachers in other positions, also clearly exceeding the average income of all persons with a master s degree. 37
2.2. School network and group size In 2013, the number of basic education schools was 2 700. The main emphasis remains with schools with less than 100 pupils, which in 2013 amounted to more than 40 % of all schools. The largest schools in Finland have slightly over a thousand pupils. In the last few years, Finland s school network has been diminishing at the rate of approximately 100 schools per year. Most frequently, this has affected small schools of less than 50 pupils. In 2013, the average size of a basic education school was 195 pupils per school, whereas in 2010 it was 182 pupils. The average class size is slightly under 19 pupils. The share of groups categorised as large (over 25 pupils) has been halved in the past 5 years. Almost half of basic education schools have approximately 100 pupils In 2013, the number of basic education schools was 2 700. Schools of less than 100 pupils amounted to approximately 40 per cent of all schools. In 2013, the average size of a basic education school was 195 pupils per school, whereas in 2010 it was 182 pupils. Regional differences exist in the number of pupils per school. In the capital region, the average number of pupils per school is 294, whereas in Lapland the corresponding figure is 150. The largest schools in Finland have slightly over a thousand pupils. 38
Table 14. Changes in the network of educational institutions in basic education in Finland in 2010-2013 Year 2010 2011 2012 2013 Size of educational institution Number of institutions Number of institutions Number of institutions Number of institutions -50 769 718 677 625 50-99 511 493 484 478 100-299 990 978 951 935 300-499 509 513 501 490 500-699 136 127 133 138 700-22 29 30 39 Total 2 937 2 858 2 776 2 705 Statistics Finland Vipunen a statistical service of the education administration In the 2000s, internal migration and the weakening finances of municipalities have led to a situation where the school network in basic education has diminished significantly. A large number of small village schools have been closed down. In 2000, more than a third of all basic education schools were schools with less than 50 pupils, whereas by 2013 their share had been reduced to less than a fourth. By 2013, less than four per cent of pupils were studying in these schools, when in 2000 more than seven per cent of pupils were studying in small schools. Debate is currently under way as to whether the expansion of school units constitutes a benefit or a disadvantage for the children and whether the financial gain expected from it will actually materialise. Group size in primary schools is approximately 20 pupils In 2013, the average group size in grades 1 to 6 was 20 pupils. In lower secondary school, grades 7 to 9, the average group size was 16.5 pupils. The share of teaching groups with over 30 pupils was under one per cent, and the proportion of teaching groups of 25 to 29 pupils was 11 per cent. 39
25 20 15 10 5 Grades 1 to 6 total Grades 7 to 9 total* All grades total* 0 Average group size 2008 Average group size 2010 Average group size 2013 Figure 12. Average group size in basic education in 2008, 2010 and 2013 Statistics Finland Vipunen a statistical service of the education administration In recent years, the numbers of large teaching groups have been reduced due to support measures implemented by the government. Starting in 2010, the Ministry of Education and Culture has allocated special government aid towards reducing group size in basic education. In 2013, a total 60 million euros worth of this aid was allocated to 239 education providers. In 2015, the Government allocated a total of 30 million euros worth of funding for the purpose of reducing group size. 40