Changing the Heart and Soul? Inequalities in Finland's Current Pursuit of a Narrow Education Policy

The Finnish educational system is well known for its excellent learning results, highly trained teachers and egalitarian values. However, when the political leanings of the government change, its policies are usually altered as well. In this policy report we give an account of the recent changes and...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Policy futures in education 2020-06, Vol.18 (5), p.648-661
Main Authors: Tervasmäki, Tuomas, Okkolin, Mari-Anne, Kauppinen, Ilkka
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Competition
Core Curriculum
Educational Policy
Equal Education
Foreign Countries
Government Role
Ideology
Labor Force Development
Politics of Education
Social Justice
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Summary:The Finnish educational system is well known for its excellent learning results, highly trained teachers and egalitarian values. However, when the political leanings of the government change, its policies are usually altered as well. In this policy report we give an account of the recent changes and current trends in Finnish education policy. We analyse the characteristics of the Sipilä Government's current education policy since 2015 and compare it to the Nordic welfare-state ideals of universalism, equality and social justice which have traditionally been the key building blocks of the Finnish education system. The Government's policy appears to be narrow-minded and ignorant of issues related to educational equality, stressing instead the importance of a flexible workforce and national competitiveness. We will reflect on the characteristics of Finnish education policy in light of the debate regarding academic capitalism and as part of an overarching trend of social inequality in Europe.
ISSN:1478-2103
1478-2103
DOI:10.1177/1478210318811031