I understand that the article only refers to the Finnish lukio, or high school (grade 10 and up) which offers vocational and academic tracks. Up till ninth grade, Finnish schools strive to offer the same high level academic education for all I elementary school (peruskoulu). PISA results show that the high level is real, so high in fact that by 9th grade, half of all students will have been in special ed of some sort because they needed support to cope with the curriculum (Finnish teachers do not teach to the middle). Gifted children, though, are left to coast. There is no provision at all.
I wonder what's behind the change - a way to dilute vocational and academic tracks? I don't buy the 21st century rhetoric. Learning languages as part of a course on the European Union? Really?
Last edited by Tigerle; 03/25/15 12:27 AM.
