Facts about Finnish education:

Facts about Finnish education:

- Finnish children start formal education later, at age 7, compared to many other countries where children start as early as age 5. This allows more time for play and development.

- All students, including those with learning disabilities or other special needs, are taught in the same classroom with the same curriculum. This promotes inclusion and equality.

- There is no standardized testing or ranking of students during the first six years of school. The focus is on cooperative learning and developing critical thinking skills.

- The only mandatory standardized test Finnish students take is the matriculation exam at age 16 to graduate from general upper secondary school. There are no tests used to rank schools or teachers.

- Teachers in Finland spend about 4 hours per day in the classroom teaching students. The rest of the time is used for lesson planning, grading, and collaboration with colleagues.

- Teachers are required to commit to 2 hours per week of professional development to continuously improve their skills. There is a strong culture of mentorship.

- Approximately 93% of Finnish students graduate from general upper secondary school after the matriculation exam. The graduation rate is high across all socioeconomic levels.

- Teacher evaluations are rare. There is trust in teachers to be professional and committed to ongoing development.

- Finland's education system is considered one of the best in the world. In 2018, it ranked #3 worldwide based on the World Economic Forum's global competitiveness report.

- The school day typically runs from 9am to 2pm, sometimes starting as late as 9:45am. There are frequent breaks for fresh air and physical activity.

- Students spend about 4-5 hours per day in the classroom. The rest of the schoolday is for play, meals, and extracurricular activities.

- Preschool is free and available to all children from birth to age 5. Over 95% of age-eligible children attend.

- Preschools focus on play-based learning to develop social skills, language, and imagination. The minimum is 700 hours per year.