Finland’s success in PISA

Abstract

It is well known that Finland is the world champion of education. Their 15-year-old pupils outperform those in other countries. However, it is less well known why this is so. This article points to a number of factors.
1. The curriculum for compulsory school is characterized by very clear demands on pupils and teachers. They all know that what society expects from them, which is that the pupils learn the content of the subjects as described in the curriculum. There is an efficient remedial teaching system for pupils with problems.
2. After compulsory school, the educational system offers a wide choice of possibilities. Those pupils who want to pursue theoretical studies will have to face a selection process in order to enter first upper secondary school and later university. Therefore they start studying seriously already in compulsory school.
3. The Finns hold teachers in high regard, a fact that explains why teacher training is considered an attractive career choice and ihas become very selective. Together, these factors produce the best primary and lower secondary education in the world.