The curriculum is changing in Finland

Fin officials are looking to completely remove classical curricula from the schools. There will be no subjects such as physics, mathematics, literature, history, geography, or anything like that!

Finnish official Marjo Kyllönen explains the change they will make:

“We have been using in schools the old-fashioned learning methods that were useful at that time they were created, but today’s needs are not the same, so we need a suitable education model for the 21st century.”

But what does it mean and what kind of education model is considered?

Instead of classical lessons, events and phenomena will be explained in an interdisciplinary manner. For example, the Second World War will be examined in terms of history, geography and mathematics. In addition to this, students who will take a course like “Work at café” will learn communication skills, English and economics education practically. They will also choose the topics they want to study. For example, according to this, a student will not have to see all the units in chemistry or physics classes and pass them on the exam. They will only be responsible for the chapter that it prefers to study. So the students will not ask the question “what will this course be useful for?”Moreover, change is not only limited to this because the traditional form of teacher-student communication will also change completely.

Students will no longer be able to answer a question just by sitting at school, instead they will be working together in small groups to discuss the problems. These changes in the Finnish education system will encourage collective work. This will undoubtedly affects teachers because they need to adapt to the new system. Almost 70% of the teachers in Helsinki have started to take the necessary information which is relevant to the new system and undertake preparatory work. Of course, all this changes and developments will be reflected in the teachers’ fees as well.

Changes are anticipated to be completed by 2020 and aim that the educational system will also respond to the needs of the times and come to a point that meets scientific and pedagogical criteria.

To summarize the advantages of the Finish Education Model:

• Pre-school education is supported and controlled by the state.
• There is a great difference in the fact that there is a model of learning because of learning, not because of the exam.
• Highly successful teachers with high quality trainers are taking the Finnish education model a step upwards, and they are able to double their salaries for a period of 15 years, by educating qualified students and doing their job in the best possible way.
• More free activity for pupils and fewer home-works make it easier for pupils to enjoy school and education.
• In Finland, education is an inseparable part of culture and is owned by every segment of the society.
• The education market is growing and becoming global so the spread of the Finnish Education Model to other countries is becoming easier.
• The fact that English education is provided on a perfect basis in Finland helps the Finnish Education Model to be spread in different countries.

Resource:

Education Change Conference- Panel of the last curriculum change in Finland: Sari Muhonen, Tımo Holopaınen ve Ulla Ilomäki-Keisala, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Özcan, Figen Atalay