Recipes for Systemic Change - Helsinki Design Lab

There is a similar process for the transition between upper secondaryand tertiary education. Although it is not a prescribed path, the “academic”route is from general upper secondary school to a university while the more“practical” route is from vocational upper secondary school to a polytechnic.Universities admit students independently, with differing sets of criteriabased on the school and individual academic program. In addition tothe application, students’ records in the matriculation examination and atsecondary school are often required. Polytechnics admit students througha consolidated, online joint application system, requiring applicants to submita list of schools and degree programs by ordered preference.D1.4 Teachers: Quality and TrainingThe quality of education in Finland is often largely attributed to thequality of its teachers. As a profession, teachers maintain high status andwidespread respect among the general population. Despite modest compensation,becoming a teacher is highly competitive process. Applicationsto education programs at university often require entrance exams, faceto-faceinterviews, and occasionally psychological and performance-basedevaluations. The acceptance rate of in education programs is around onein ten, adding to a certain level of prestige. Teacher-training programs areresearch based and known for their rigor, covering theory and pedagogy inlectures on campus and practical experience in classroom “laboratory” settings.Prospective teachers earn a master’s degree in five years. Continuingeducation for teachers is encouraged with a guaranteed minimum threepaid training days per year.D1.5 Student Services & Special EducationThere is a strong social responsibility component evident withinFinland’s education system. Part of this is supporting a student’s abilityto learn, in the form of free tuition, free school meals, routine medicalexams and transportation assistance for long-distance commutes. Anotherdimension is access and availability to special needs education and remedialinstruction. With an emphasis on early detection and intervention forstudents with learning disabilities, the goal is to include special needs studentsin the mainstream, wherever possible. For those students who needadditional or more focused attention, placement in specific special needsclasses or special needs schools is another option. For other non-learningrelatedneeds, the education system is expected to draw on the wide networkof social services in order to meet and protect each student’s physicaland emotional well-being.D1.6 Pre-schoolAlthough compulsory education does not begin until a child reachesage seven, all children in Finland are offered free pre-primary educationfrom the municipality and in conjunction with either daycare centres or157