Education Policy and Students’ Learning: The Finnish Experience4.12.2012
Olavi ArraSenior Education ConsultantOpetusalan Ammattijärjestö OAJ Trade Union of Education in Finland
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Opetusalan Ammattijärjestö OAJ
Trade Union of Education in Finland Members from early childhood education to university
teaching (nearly 120 000) Members also include teacher students and senior
teachers Breakdown of the OAJ members by gender: women
74 %, men 26 % Over 95 % of the Finnish teachers are organised
trade union members
Speaker for education
OAJ speaks for Finnish training and education Social dialogue with the goverment, parliament,
ministries and the National Board of Education Social dialogue at municipal level OAJ has members in education working groups
established by ministries etc. OAJ is working together with other unions
and NGO´s and parents OAJ is active in media
3Olavi Arra, OAJ
Examples of OAJ’s aims in education
Better and quality education for all Better working enviroment for teachers,
students and pupils Children and students with special needs – more
resources and support in services More resources for education Regular inservice training system to teachers Higher education for all teachers Education top on list of political decision-making
4Olavi Arra, OAJ
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Serious attention to equality in education
Education of the same high quality throughoutthe country.
A good general education and adequate basic skills for everyone.
Attention paid to pupils’ special needs. Back-up from social welfare services. Natural cooperation between pupils and teachers. Evaluation aimed at developing the school system.
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Finnish teachers as educational professionals
All teachers have a high standard of education. Teachers are able to act independently in their work. Teachers are expected to update their professional
skills. Cooperation between school and home. Teachers responsible for developing their own work.
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Qualifications in basic education (primary and lower secondary levels)
Qualified %Spring 2008
Principals 99,2
Subject teachers 95,3
Class teachers and pre primary education 94,3
Special teachers 73,1
Part time teachers 66,6
Part time teachers with under 16 h/week 27,3
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Collaborative development of theeducational system
Parliament
Ministry of Education
National Board of Education
Local authority departments of education
Trade Union of Education in Finland
Teachers (union members)
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Problems and challenges for the future
Inadequate finance– large classes– decreasing number of lessons taught– declining support for pupils with special needs– inadequate guidance for pupils– economies in teachers’ supplementary training
Growing needs for special teaching Improvement of pupil motivation
Examples of the teacher salaries in Finland 2012
Workingdays/weeks
Lessons/week Salary €
Extra hour pay for one weekly
lesson€/month
Class teacher,Master level degree
190 days/38 weeks
24 h 2 494 – 3 244 87,29
Special education teacher, Master level degree
190 days/38 weeks
22/24 h 2 712 – 3 622 103,56
Subject teacher,Master level degree
190 days/38 weeks
18 – 24 h 1) 2 694 – 3 503 113,13
Upper secondary school teacher, Master level degree
190 days/38 weeks
c. 14,5 – 21 h 1) 2) 2 856 – 3 782 126,28
Headmaster,comprehensive school
Annualvacation
max 8 weeks1 – 13 h 3 509 – 4 571 -
Headmaster,upper secondary school
Annualvacation
max 8 weeks4 – 11 h 4 147 – 5 029 -
Vocational teacher,Master level degree
190 days/38 weeks
24,5 h 2 943 – 3 902 100,91
1) depending on the subject2) includes so called upper secondary school coefficient 1,1
Examples of the teacher salaries in Finland 2012
Vacation Weekly worktime Salary
Kindergardenteachers
23 – 38 days/depends of
the working years
38 h 15 min(8 % planning time)
2 162 € – (starting salary)
Preschool teacher in school
Working 190 days / years 23 lessons in week 2 164