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Pre-school education is intended for six-year-olds, who will start their compulsory education in the following year.
Participation in pre-school education is voluntary, and it is provided in day care centres and in pre-school classes operating in connection with comprehensive schools.
In the autumn of 2000, there were 11,000 pre-school pupils in comprehensive schools and 48,000 six-year-olds in day care centres. This accounts for 90 % of the entire age group.
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Basic Education means the general education provided for each age group in its entirety. It is intended for children from seven to sixteen years of age, and its completion in comprehensive school takes nine years.
After completing comprehensive school, pupils have fulfilled their compulsory education.
In 2000, there were 65,000 seven-year-olds.
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Lower secondary education in Finland is a part of compulsory basic education discussed above. Upper secondary education comprises general upper secondary education and initial vocational study programmes. General upper secondary education is general education preparing for the matriculation examination. The principal objective of the vocational programmes is vocational competence.
Educational legislation has been amended to the effect that providers of education now have the freedom of organisation and obligation to co-operate. At the same time, students have been granted more opportunities to choose study modules from another form of education, within the framework of the study programme or syllabus, and the right to get credit for previous studies and for those completed elsewhere.
Approximately 94% of each age group start general or vocational upper secondary studies and some 82% complete the education. With regard to performance in working life and lifelong learning, the completion of upper secondary education is regarded as being the minimum requirement.
3. A. General Upper Secondary
Upper secondary school is a school providing general education for students who are usually about 16-19 years of age. Upper secondary school ends with the completion of the matriculation examination. This will yield eligibility for all forms of higher education.
The objective of general upper secondary education is to promote the development of students into good, balanced and civilised individuals and members of society and to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary in further studies, working life, personal interests and the versatile development of their personality. Moreover, the education shall support the students' opportunities for lifelong learning and self-development during their lives.
In 2000, about 37,000 new students started their upper secondary school studies.
3.B. Vocational Education
Initial vocational education is provided in vocational institutions and in the form of apprenticeship training in virtually all fields. The completion of an initial vocational qualification takes normally 3 years, and instruction is given in multi-field or specialised vocational institutions. A three-year vocational qualification yields eligibility for all forms of higher education.
The objective of initial vocational education is to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary for acquiring vocational expertise and with capabilities for self-employment. The further objectives of the education are to promote the students' development into good and balanced individuals and members of society, to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary in further studies, personal interests and the versatile development of personality, and to promote lifelong learning.
In 2000, there were about 59,000 new students.
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The Finnish education system comprises two parallel sectors: universities and polytechnics. Universities are characterised by scientific research and the highest education based thereon. Polytechnics are oriented towards working life and base their operations on the high vocational skill requirements set by it.
A high level of education is one of the cornerstones of the Finnish national strategy. The capacity of higher education will have reached the set objective, when a student place can be offered to two thirds of each age group. Higher education is popular, and the number of applicants is consistently several times higher than the annual intake. Competition for student places can be largely attributed to the expansion of general upper secondary education, traditionally preparing for studies at the tertiary level, and the extension of eligibility for higher education to those with an initial vocational qualification.
The number of applicants must be narrowed down in all fields. In order to intensify the use of student places, a principle of one-place-per-student has been introduced and has been applied since student selections for the 1999–2000 academic year. According to this principle, one student may only accept one student place in either a polytechnic or university per one academic year.
4.A. Polytechnic Education
Polytechnics (AMK institutions, ammattikorkeakoulut) provide vocational higher education usually in a multi-field environment for those who have completed either the matriculation examination or an upper secondary level vocational qualification.
If a student has completed a two-year vocational programme, he or she can only be admitted to study the same vocational field.
The completion of a polytechnic degree takes 3.5-4.5 years.
The objective of the studies leading to a polytechnic degree is to provide the necessary knowledge and skills for operating in occupational expert functions on the basis of the requirements set by working life and the development thereof.
In 1999, there were some 26,000 new students.
4.B. University Education
Universities provide lower (Bachelor's) and higher (Master's) academic degrees and scientific postgraduate degrees, which are the licentiate and the doctorate.
A Bachelor’s degree can usually be completed in three years and a Master’s degree in five years.
The university system is composed of multidisciplinary universities and specialised scientific universities and art academies, which are also called universities. The purpose of universities is to promote independent research and scientific and artistic education, to provide instruction of the highest level based on research, and to raise the young to serve the fatherland and humankind. Universities shall arrange their operations in order for research, education and instruction to achieve high international standards, by observing ethical principles and good scientific practice.
In 1998, the total number of new university students was slightly more than 19,400.
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