The article discusses that the main reason that led the Finnland education system reform was the inequality which was present before at some point of time before the reform itself took place. Therefore, the reform sought to achieve equality across the education system (pre-K to University). There are no private schools. Every student has access to free public education + what comes with it (health care etc.)
The article highlights that co-operation is the norm the Finnish education system and that "nothing makes Finn more uncomfortable" than the idea of competition in the context of education.Since the 1980s, the main driver of Finnish education policy has been the idea that every child should have exactly the same opportunity to learn, regardless of family background, income, or geographic location. Education has been seen first and foremost not as a way to produce star performers, but as an instrument to even out social inequality.
The article also mentions the high expectations and equally high rewards of educators in Finland:
For Sahlberg what matters is that in Finland all teachers and administrators are given prestige, decent pay, and a lot of responsibility. A master's degree is required to enter the profession, and teacher training programs are among the most selective professional schools in the country. If a teacher is bad, it is the principal's responsibility to notice and deal with it.Overall, a very interesting read.
