Pre-primary education and basic education - yhteiskuntaorientaatio.fi
Pre-primary education is systematic
In the year a child turns six, the year before primary education begins, they participate in pre-primary education. Pre-primary education aims to promote children’s growth, development and learning. Pre-primary education lasts one year. Pre-primary education or other activities that achieve the same objectives is mandatory. Colloquially, pre-primary education is often called preschool, esikoulu or eskari.
Municipalities organise pre-primary education. Pre-primary education usually takes place in municipal day care centres or schools, but it can also be found in private day care centres or schools. More than 80 % of pre-primary education is provided by day care centres.
The education providers will announce pre-primary education starting in August well in advance, usually early in the year. The parent or guardian must enrol their child in pre-primary education. Children enrolled in pre-primary education must participate in the education on a regular basis to achieve the objectives defined in the curriculum.
The primary responsibility for the implementation of pre-primary education lies with teachers, who are qualified in either early childhood education and care or primary education. The pre-primary group also employs another teacher, a child carer or an assistant. The pre-primary staff regularly discuss the child’s growth and development with the child’s parents and guardians.
Pre-primary education is free of charge, and during the day the children receive a free warm meal. School usually takes four hours a day. Learning materials are also free of charge. If the parents work, the child receives usually early childhood education and care as well. In this case, parents pay the normal day-care customer fee for half a day.
In pre-primary education, children acquire many skills that enhance their learning abilities. Pre-primary education strengthens the child’s social skills and self-esteem. The aim is to give children positive experiences of learning and to promote their linguistic development. Children learn new things by playing, exploring together, and through imagination.
Pre-primary teachers observe the child’s level of development. If there are difficulties in development or learning, they often come out already during pre-primary education. The child’s schooling can then be supported from the beginning.
More information on pre-primary education. Pre-primary education (infofinland.fi)
Primary and lower secondary education last nine years altogether, and are also known as comprehensive school or basic education
Compulsory education applies to all 7-18-olds who live permanently in Finland. Children and young people first go to comprehensive schools consisting of grades 1 to 9, or in other ways meet the criteria as defined in the national core curriculum and syllabi for primary and lower secondary education. After comprehensive school, all young people must also study in, for example, upper secondary education until they graduate or turn 18. Originally, the Compulsory Education Act came into force in 1921.
Parents or guardians of the child must ensure that the child’s compulsory education is completed. If the guardians do not take care of the child's compulsory education, the court may impose a penalty on them. Most children study in municipal primary and lower secondary schools, but there are also private schools and state schools.
Comprehensive school includes classes 1–9. It is free of charge for families because it is paid for with tax money. All textbooks and learning materials are also free of charge.
By law, pupils are also entitled to receive free welfare services. They include, for example, the services of a school nurse, psychologist and social worker. These services are available during the school day at or near the school.
The purpose of primary and lower secondary education is, among other things
- provide pupils with general education
- teach the necessary knowledge and skills in life
- improve learning skills
- support the growth of children into balanced people
- support the growth of children into members of a democratic society
- teach children a sustainable lifestyle
- teach the democratic values of Finnish society, such as equity and equality
- raise children to know and respect human rights
- teach children about different cultures
- support children in building their own cultural identity.
For the first six years, children are taught by a class teacher who teaches them all or almost all subjects. In grades 7–9, almost all subjects have a different teacher, i.e., a subject teacher, who specializes in a specific subject.
Pupils receive their basic education certificate when they have successfully completed the basic education syllabus. After that, they can apply for upper secondary education, i.e., vocational education or upper secondary school studies.
Further information on primary and lower secondary education. Comprehensive education (infofinland.fi)
Comprehensive school includes both compulsory and optional subjects
Comprehensive school includes compulsory subjects and subjects that pupils can choose themselves. The aim of the optional subjects is to give pupils more competence in the knowledge and skills that are particularly interesting to them.
Subjects common to all in grades 1 to 2 include native language and literature (Finnish or Swedish) as well as foreign languages, mathematics and environmental studies, religion or ethics, music, physical education and crafts. Physical education includes both outdoor and indoor exercise.
The number of subjects increases during comprehensive school. In grades 3–9, pupils also start to learn, for example, history, home economics, chemistry and physics, biology and geography, as well as health education.
Pupils with a migrant and multilingual background can receive their own native language education as part of their schooling. Religion has different syllabi, such as Evangelical Lutheran, Orthodox or Islam. In addition to the religion taught, everybody will be taught about other religions and beliefs. The Basic Education Act specifies in more detail which subjects are mandatory and which the pupil can choose to participate in.
Children can study ethics at school instead of religion if they are not members of any registered religious community, or if they have some other reasons not to take religion. Ethics is a multidisciplinary subject in primary and secondary education, which is not based on any particular social institution, religion or belief.
If the pupil’s native language is Finnish, Swedish or Sami, that will be the language of the “mother tongue and literature” for them. Pupils whose native language is another language and whose Finnish or Swedish skills are insufficient to study the native language and literature subject can study the “Finnish or Swedish as a second language and literature” syllabus (S2 or R2). When the pupil’s language skills are strong enough, they can transfer to the native language and literature class.
The curriculum guides the work of the schools
In Finland, the law governs the organization of education. Schools and teachers must adhere to a curriculum drawn up based on the national core curriculum for primary and lower secondary (basic) education issued by the National Board of Education (Opetushallitus). The same core curriculum applies to all schools and pupils.
In the core curriculum, the pupil is seen as an active actor. At school, pupils learn to set goals and solve problems both independently and together with others. Learning takes place in interaction with other pupils and the environment. The teacher guides learning, encourages and gives supportive feedback.
Pupils’ work at school is intended to be explorative and creative. Teaching methods can be different. Digital competence, i.e., the skills to use computers and mobile devices, is emphasized in today’s society. These skills are essential in everyday life and work. This is why they are also taught at school.
Preparatory education prepares the pupil for comprehensive school
When a child moves to Finland, the aim is to place them in the comprehensive school class based on their age, skills and knowledge. Children may also receive preparatory education for basic education. Preparatory education is open to children and young people of pre-primary and comprehensive school age who have just moved to Finland and children born in Finland whose parents have moved to Finland from elsewhere.
The aim of preparatory education is to provide the child with the necessary skills so that they can move to mainstream education. Preparatory education also supports the child’s integration into Finland.
Learning the language of instruction is an important part of preparatory education for pupils who are not yet able to study in Finnish or Swedish. It is important that parents encourage their children to use Finnish or Swedish at school.
More information about preparatory education: Preparatory education (infofinland.fi)