Bits and pieces

24.5.2007 Seija Lehto

1) An additional 10th year is voluntary giving pupils an opportunity to improve their grades and clarify their career plans.

2) Vocational upper secondary education and training

is arranged in vocational schools (including at least six months of on-the-job learning) and in the form of apprenticeship training. Adults can obtain vocational

upper secondary qualifications also in competence tests.

3) The Ministry of Education has granted permission

to a number of polytechnics for trial post-graduate degree

programmes for 2002-2005.

5

4

3

2

1

UNIVERSITIES

4

3

2

1

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

3

2

1

SCHOOL YEARS

AGE

PRE-PRIMARY EDUCATION

Compulsory

education

BASIC EDUCATION

16

15

14

13

12

11

10

9

8

7

6

WORK EXPERIENCE

WORKEXPERIENCE

SPECIALIST VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

FURTHER VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

3

2

1

POLYTECHNICS

VOCATIONALUPPER SECONDARYEDUCATION and TRAINING

GENERAL UPPERSECONDARY EDUCATION

THE EDUCATION SYSTEM OF FINLAND

1)

2)

3)

Further Vocational qualifications

The system of competence-based qualifications offers the adult population in particular a flexible way to renew and maintain their vocational skills. In competence-based qualifications, vocational skills are demonstrated through competence tests, regardless of whether the skills have been acquired through work experience, studies or other activities. What matters most is vocational competence.

Besides 52 vocational upper secondary qualifications, there are nearly 300 further vocational and specialist vocational qualifications on offer.

Further Vocational qualifications

The skill requirements have been set, in collaboration with the trade and industry, on the basis of work modules in working life. The vocational skills required in competence-based qualifications are defined in the requirements of competence-based qualification, drawn up by the Finnish National Board of Education.

The Finnish National Board of Education appoints a qualification committee for each competence-based qualification. It has a representation of employees, employers and teachers of the field and, if need be, entrepreneurs. The qualification committees agree with education providers and other organizations on the arrangements for competence-based education.

Language teaching

Basic education (ex. is from City of Oulu)

A1 starts 3th grade: English, French, German, Russia

A2 starts 5th grade (voluntary): French, German, Russia, Spanish, (Eng)

B starts 7th grade: Swedish

B2 starts 8th grade (voluntary): French, German, Russia, Spanish

Upper secondary general: Upper secondary vocational:

Continuing: Continuing:

A1 – A2: 6 to 8 courses 2 courses

B : 5 to 7 courses 1 course

B2 – B3: voluntary 8 courses 2 courses

and voluntarily more

(Finnish, Swedish, Sami and sign language is thought as a mother language)

Funding

The statutory financing is based on unit costs (average cost), transactions (student numbers) and costs (field-specific; special tasks).

Examples (year 2007):

Vocational Qualification in Business and Administration (appr. 5600 €/student, OVC)

Vocational Qualification in Bioenergy (appr. 10800 €/student, OVC;12000 €/student, WLVI)

Appr. 9200 €/student (West Lapland Vocational Institute)

Appr. 7775 €/student (Oulu Vocational College)

FundingPerformance-based financing (2 % of all funding)INDICATORSImpact: * effective share: 50% of the performance indicator set1. Placement in employment * regional youth unemployment taken into account2. Placement in further education

FundingPerformance-based financing (2 % of all funding)INDICATORSProcesses: (effectiveness)* effective share: 20% of the performance indicator set1. Dropout rate* "acceptable" reasons for dropout2. Graduation rate* number of students graduating in the norm time 3. Utilisation rate* Annual number of students in relation to the maximum number indicated in the institutional licence

Funding

Performance-based financing

INDICATORS

Staff (competence):

* effective share: 20% of the performance indicator set

1. Formal competence of teachers

2. Staff development

* Training provider's total financial input

- contacts with working life 60%

- other staff development training 40%

Funding

Performance-based financing

INDICATORS

Economy:

* effective share: 10% of the performance indicator set

* balanced, "healthy" economy

1. Annual contribution margin

2. Annual contribution margin ratio / depreciation