Since the initiation of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) in 2000, Finland has consistently ranked at the top in reading, mathematics, and science performance. Additionally, the percentage of low performers in these subjects is among the lowest among PISA-participating countries and economies (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), 2019).
The success of Finland's education system is attributed to several factors, with the most crucial being the quality of teacher preparation and training. Finland's educational success has evolved over several decades through a series of reforms in response to changing economic needs.
One significant reform involved enhancing the quality of teaching by transitioning teacher training from teacher colleges (known as seminarium) to universities in the 1970s, making it more rigorous. Today, Finland's high level of education and competence is largely rooted in top-tier teacher training.
Admission to teacher education programs is challenging, particularly for primary teacher education, with a mere 11% acceptance rate in 2016. For kindergarten teacher education and vocational teacher education, the admission rates were 16% and 41%, respectively. Admission depends not only on academic achievements but also on applicants' interest and passion to become a teacher. In Finland, kindergarten teachers are required to hold a bachelor's degree.
Teachers in basic education (i.e., primary and lower secondary education) and general upper secondary education must have both a bachelor's and master's degree, requiring approximately five years to complete the studies and become a qualified teacher.
Finland boasts nine universities offering teacher education, and applicants are evaluated based on their upper secondary school record, extra-curricular activities, and performance in the matriculation examination taken at the end of upper secondary school. Additionally, applicants must take the entrance examination known as (VAKAVA10), a multiple-choice assessment used to evaluate academic study skills needed in educational science. Successful candidates undergo an interview and aptitude test, ensuring a clear aptitude for teaching and strong academic performance.
At the primary level (grades 1-6), students are taught by class teachers who major in educational science provided by faculties of education, along with the choice of two or three other subjects (e.g., mathematics, history, music, etc.). Subject teachers, responsible for lower secondary level (grades 7-9) and general upper secondary level (grades 10-12), must complete a five-year education in the specialized subject they intend to teach.
To maintain the strength and international acclaim of teacher education, the Ministry of Education and Culture established a teacher Forum in 2016 to support the reform of pre-service and in-service training of teachers. The Ministry also published a list of six strategic guidelines for the development of teacher education and training, emphasizing the new objective that "teachers should be future-oriented and able to create new pedagogical innovations (Legislative Council Library (n.d.). Fact Sheet: Teacher training in Finland. Retrieved from: https://www.legco.gov.hk/en/index.html, issue no FSC19/18-19).
In conclusion, despite Finland's acclaimed education system and comprehensive teacher training, societal development and the challenges ahead have generated challenges within the educational sector. However, with a well-trained educational staff, one might assume that Finland will remain at the forefront of developed countries in education.
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