Finnish education governance is characterized by autonomy and diversity
The Finnish education system is steered from the top, built from the bottom, and supported from the sides. The top refers to the central or state governance, the bottom to local authorities and other education providers, and the sides to miscellaneous actors of, for example, trade unions, universities, and NGOs. The approach allows a lot of autonomy, and, as a result, diversity. Please, see the following videos and learn more about that.
Slides 23-24
Local educational governance
Local authorities are the main education providers of early education, comprehensive and upper secondary education. However, there are also a lot private ECEC centres and a few independent comprehensive and general upper secondary schools. Vocational education is typically provided by municipal consortia.
Slides 24-25
Leading finance in Early Childhood Education and care
In state government, but also in local government, the economy plays a big part. In the accompanying video, Anita Siltanen explains what the financial management of early childhood education and care is.
Unit level educational governance
Every ECEC centre has to have an ECEC centre director, and each school a school principal. In addition, there must be sufficient other staff, so that the ECEC centre or school can meet the requirements legislation.
