Do What Finnish Do: Invest In Education

Education is an essensial thing that every country should concern more, as education leads to a good generation. Talking about education cannot get rid of talking about its system, a good system results in good outputs. This principal seemingly has been applied by Finnish Education. Consequently, Finland is considered to have one of the leading education systems in the world. Finnish students consistently score near the top in the Program for International Student Assessment, or PISA, for reading, mathematics and science. The 2012 PISA results tell us that in these three subjects combined Finland ranks third after Korea and Japan. In comparison, American students' combined performance in reading, mathematics and science places the United States at 21st among 34 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development countries. Here are the causes of the successful Finnish education system that many people want to know.

            Finnish children spend their time for playing, as people believe that children learn through playing so that Finnish government create a law that finnish parents are not allowed to enroll their children in any school before they are 7. The government believe that playing is important for children, as when playing children will not only play but also learn how to socialize with others. Meanwhile, In school, grades are not given until 4th grade. Evaluation of early learners focuses on metacognition and learning how to learn. In addition, Finnish students spend 45 minutes for studying and 15for taking a rest. In Finland, people believe that spending a lot of time for studying is not effective. Thus, school

The reason why Finnish education becomes the best education system in the world is that teachers are so trusted in Finland. Becoming a teacher is an extremely rigorous and prestigious process. Only the best of the best are accepted  into education school. In addition to having high test scores, candidates must pass an interview investigating their integrity, passion, and pedagogy. Universities are committed to finding candidates that are the right fit for the teaching profession. Their programs are research-based, and teachers finish with master’s degrees, including a published thesis.

The last cause that make Finnish education successful is that ethics is taught in the primary grades. While many students learn their ethics curriculum through religion class, even nondenominational or nonreligious students are required to take ethics courses. In Finland, people believe that there must be balance between emotional, spiritual and intelegence. When one of these intelegence is more superior than the others, say, intelegence aspect is more superior than emotional or spiritual, then he will be arrogant and underestimate the other people around him.

Those are the secrets of Finnish successful education system. Education is such a good investment, like what Soekarno once said “give me ten adolescences, then I would shake the world”. This is what Finland apply, they realize that adolescence have a powerful ability to create the future of their country, then they concern more in education. The other countries in the world should do the same. Do what has Finnish do in building a better future.

Muhammad Fanni Alfarisi

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