How Finland emerged from recession with the best education system in Europe [IrishTimes]
- Published: 01 March 2011
OPINION Finland recovered from deep recession and built a world-class education system. Ireland must follow suit, writes PASI SAHLBERG
FOLLOWING THE break-up of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, Finland experienced a severe recession, not dissimilar to current difficulties in Ireland.
Unemployment climbed from 3 per cent to 18 per cent in two years. GDP dropped 13 per cent at the same time and Finnish public spending reached close to 70 per cent of the overall state budget.
The Finnish Government of the day bravely decided that increased investment in education was the roadmap to recovery.
Result? Finland emerged quickly from recession, built a highly-skilled workforce, and today boasts one of the finest education systems in the world.
Interestingly, Finland has not employed any of the market-based educational reform ideas in the ways that they have been accepted within education policies of many other nations, United States and England among them.
By contrast, a typical feature of teaching and learning in Finland is high confidence in teachers and principals as respected professionals.
Another feature involves encouraging teachers and students to try new ideas and approaches rather than teaching them to master fixed attainment targets. This makes the school a creative and inspiring place for students and teachers.
What is important is that today’s Finnish education policies are a result of three decades of systematic, mostly intentional development that has created a culture of diversity, trust, and respect within Finnish society in general, and within its education system in particular. The result is a cocktail of good ideas from other countries and smart practices from the tradition of teaching and learning in Finland.
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