A proposal to reduce and clarify the goals of Finland’s basic education curriculum has drawn resistance from politicians, business representatives and municipal leaders, who warn that falling learning results must not lead to lower standards in schools.
The debate began after a Ministry of Education and Culture working group proposed fewer and clearer objectives for subjects in basic education. The group said pupils need defined minimum skills in reading, writing and mathematics before they move forward in school.
The proposal forms part of the government’s competence guarantee, which aims to ensure that every pupil finishing comprehensive school has core basic skills. The working group said current curriculum goals have become broad, hard to interpret and difficult to assess in equal terms across schools.
The report said Finnish pupils’ skills in literacy and mathematics have declined for about two decades. It also said the share of low-performing pupils has grown while the number of top performers has fallen. The group argued that schools need clearer targets so pupils, teachers and parents know what must be learned.
The plan met resistance within the governing National Coalition Party. Timo Heinonen, an MP and former teacher, said Finland should not answer weaker learning results by lowering expectations.
“Comprehensive school goals should not be eased so that everyone gets through school. Finland rose to success through competence. It returns there the same way,” Heinonen said in a statement.
Heinonen said the school system must focus on learning, discipline and support. He said pupils should not move forward without enough knowledge and skills.
“When competence weakens, the solution cannot be to lower the level of requirements. Instead, we must strengthen basic education, restore peace to classrooms and support every pupil so that the goals are reached,” he said.
The Central Chamber of Commerce also criticised any move towards a narrower minimum level. Suvi Pulkkinen, the chamber’s lead expert on competence and immigration, said schools need clear and demanding standards that prepare pupils for further studies and working life.
“The requirements must be both clear and demanding enough. The aim cannot be a minimum level, but that every young person gets the best foundation for further studies and working life,” Pulkkinen said.
The chamber said reading and numeracy remain central, but schools must also strengthen language skills, cultural understanding, science knowledge and problem-solving. It supported a proposed national task bank to make assessment more consistent, but said the tool must serve teachers in daily school work.
The Association of Finnish Municipalities said the competence guarantee must not become only a change in assessment law. It said Finland needs curriculum reform, clearer subject content and a more realistic picture of pupils’ progress.
“The competence guarantee must succeed. It must not remain merely a legal-level clarification of assessment,” said Mari Sjöström, a senior specialist at the association.
The association said minimum standards must not lead to lower requirements or one-size-fits-all teaching. It also said good pupils need chances to move towards higher achievement, not only support for pupils at risk of failing.
Municipal leaders warned that schools need stable funding to carry out any reform. The association said pupil numbers will fall by about 90,000 by the 2030s, but costs will not fall at the same pace because municipalities must maintain buildings, transport and local school networks.
Susanna Huovinen, deputy managing director of the association, said smaller age groups will carry Finland’s future skills base. She said the country cannot afford pupils leaving comprehensive school below their potential or without the skills needed for upper secondary education.
The ministry working group also called for more funding for basic education. It said Finland’s spending is around the OECD average but below other Nordic countries. It said schools face higher property costs, transport costs, support needs and a rising number of pupils with other mother tongues.
Heinonen said the government has already taken steps in the right direction by adding lesson hours in reading, writing and mathematics, strengthening equality funding, restricting phone use during lessons and reforming learning support.
“This is responsible education policy. Not lowering the bar, but lifting everyone over it,” he said.
The dispute now centres on whether clearer and fewer targets would help teachers focus on essential skills or signal a retreat from ambition. The working group says the aim is to define what every pupil must learn.
HT
