Finland Moves To Simplify Education System
A working group established within Finland’s Ministry of Education and Culture reported that basic education should be streamlined in order to improve learning outcomes. In a report published on Wednesday, the group emphasized that schools should place a stronger focus on reading, writing, and basic mathematics skills.
The working group stated that the current curriculum includes too many learning goals, making the process more complicated for both teachers and students. According to the report, setting fewer and clearer learning objectives could help students achieve stronger results in core skills.
The report drew attention to the fact that learning outcomes in Finland have been declining for nearly 20 years. In particular, PISA studies and other assessments have shown a decline in students’ reading and mathematics performance. Eeva-Riitta Pirhonen, Director General at the Ministry of Education, stated that the greatest decline has occurred among the lowest-performing students, but that students’ skills have generally decreased across the board.
It was also noted that funding for basic education in Finland is around the OECD average but remains behind that of other Nordic countries. The working group emphasized that more resources should be allocated to basic education in order to reverse the long-term decline in learning outcomes.