This chapter provides an overview of national reforms and policy developments since 2021.
The introduction of the chapter describes the overall education strategy and the key objectives across the whole education system. It also looks at how the education reform process is organised and who are the main actors in the decision-making process.
The section on ongoing reforms and policy developments groups reforms in the following broad thematic areas that largely correspond to education levels:
- Early childhood education and care
- School education
- VET and Adult learning
- Higher education
- Transversal skills and Employability
Inside each thematic area, reforms are organised chronologically. The most recent reforms are described first.
Overall national education strategy and key objectives
The Ministry of Education and Culture follows the objectives for social impact based on the Government Program, the Board's Action Plan and the mid-term review of the Board. These objectives are the following.
• The potential of digitalisation and new pedagogies have been utilised in learning and supporting the well-being and participation of children and young people. Learning environments have been modernised.
• The inclusion of children and young people has been strengthened through education, culture and sports. The number of young people who are not employed and not in education and training has decreased and the number of people who have dropped out from eduaction has decreased.
• The interaction between education and working life has increased and the correalation of skills and the needs of the labor market has improved. Collaboration between universities and industries has been strengthened to commercialise innovations.
• Cutting-edge research has strengthened and the quality and effectiveness of research and innovation have improved. The infrastructures needed to conduct research have been taken into account.
• The utilisation of digitalisation, artificial intelligence and robotics has made progress.
• The conditions for creative fields have improved.
• The accessibility of art and culture has been improved.
• Internationality has increased. Hindrances to education export have been removed. The opportunities offered by the Team Finland network have been used to promote education export, creative fields and the promotion of commercial activity and country image work.
• Society’s transparency, cohesion and trust in society have strengthened. Violence and racism have been addressed with preventive measures and inclusive actions.
• The integration of migrants into society has strengthened. There has been an acceleration in the training paths and the employment of migrants
• Citizens' well-being and health have been enhanced and inequalities have been decreased.
• Services have been developed to be more customer-oriented.
• Experimental culture has been introduced.
• Management has been improved.
• Well-being at work has been enhanced and competences have been developed.
• Activities are profitable, economical and efficient in the framework imposed by public economy.
Overview of the education reform process and drivers
The overall education strategy is included in the Government Programme. It is a strategic programme of reform. The overriding objective of the Programme is to raise the employment rate to 72 per cent through a number of measures promoting employment and entrepreneurship.
The Government aims to a change and renewals in five priority areas: employment and competitiveness; knowledge and education; wellbeing and health; bioeconomy and clean solutions; and digitalisation, experiments and deregulation.
The Government's Plan for the Implementation of the key projects focuses on the schedule, measures and financing of the key projects and the most important structural reforms. The implementation plan includes a large number of changes to modes of operation that will reform Finnish society and create more favourable conditions for economic growth.
Ministerial working group on knowledge and education will handle matters falling within the scope of the Government’s key objective “knowledge and education”, previously handled in the ministerial working group on education policy.