Summary

The Special Rapporteur on the right to education, Farida Shaheed, visited Finland from 20 to 29 November 2023. The aim of the visit was to gather first-hand information on the provision and enjoyment of the right to free, quality and inclusive education for all, and to engage in a dialogue with, and offer recommendations to, the Government and other stakeholders in this regard.

The public educational system in Finland has a well-deserved worldwide reputation for excellence. Premised on core values that include the principle of equality, the education system has been designed to accommodate various needs and circumstances, support individuals to achieve their full potential, and offer lifelong learning with no dead ends. The system is characterized by highly qualified teachers and a high level of cascading autonomy: from national entities to regional State authorities, municipalities, principals and, eventually, individual teachers. It relies fully on, and benefits from, dedicated and committed personnel. Today, the system that has worked so admirably in the past is facing some critical challenges due to changes within the Finnish education system as well as in the external environment, such as an ageing population, greater diversity in backgrounds and the increasing presence of digital technology in education as elsewhere. This is an opportune time to reflect on the best way forward. From the perspective of the human right to education, the issue is whether – and the extent to which – the current educational system responds equally to the diverse needs of every learner so that no one is left behind at any stage of life and everyone can fully realize their potential.