For many years the school system in Finland has been very successful. In the PISA survey, which compares reading, math and science knowledge of 15-year-olds around the world, Finland is not only the top European country but also competes with Asian giants like China Shanghai, Singapore and South Korea. But what makes the educational system in this small country so different from others in the western countries?
Until the 1960s, Finland's most students left school after six years. In the middle of the 1960s, the Finnish government saw the need to change and modernize their education system if they want to be internationally competitive. Lawmakers made a simple decision: a basic school for all the 7- to 16-year-olds. Compulsory (义务的) education begins at 7. The government makes it possible for all children to attend preschool as well.
Most of Finland's schools get their money from the government. The people who are in charge of the education system, from teachers to officials are trained teachers, not politicians like in other countries.
Teachers work with their pupils in school as much as possible. When teachers are not with the pupils, they spend a lot of time in schools working on the curriculum (课程) and new projects. Schools in Finland are small, at least for international standards. So teachers know every pupil in their school and try everything to succeed with their pupils. In contrast to other nations, Finland selects its teachers very carefully: only talented teachers go on to a university and receive a master's degree in education. Finland only takes the best to educate its youth.
All Finnish children, whether they come from the city or the country, whether from a rich or poor family, have the same chances in education. There are not so many differences between the wealthy and the poor, as in America or other Western European countries. Education experts say that there is very little difference between very good and the worst students. Two thirds of Finnish pupils move on to higher education, the highest rate in the European Union.
