The introduction of consequential accountability systems for schools is the third global trend. School performance especially raising learner achievement is closely linked to processes of accrediting, promoting, inspecting and rewarding or punishing schools and educators. Success or failure of schools and their educators is often determined by standardised tests and evaluations that only devote attention to limited aspects of schooling, such as learner achievement in mathematical and reading literacy along with exit examination results.
Finland is an example of a nation that has developed from a remote industrial state in the 1950s to a model knowledge economy using education as a key to economic and social development. Its high achievement seem to be attributable to a network of interrelated factors in which learners’ own areas of interest and leisure activities, the learning opportunities provided by school, parental support and involvement, social and cultural context of learning and of the entire education system combine with each other (Sahlberg, 2007).
Here are some characteristics of the Finish education system that contribute to the good academic performance of its schools and individuals.
Same basic school for all
All basic school educators who are permanently employed in Finland hold a master’s degree. The Finnish comprehensive school is a formal and fully publicly financed system. Finnish schools are all based on the principle of equity, on which Finnish education policy has been largely premised since the early 1970s. Well-equipped schools are typically small, with class sizes ranging from 20 to 30 learners. The fact that all learners enroll in identical comprehensive schools despite their socioeconomic background or personal abilities and characteristics, has resulted in a
system where schools and classrooms are heterogeneous in terms of learner profiles and diverse in terms of educational needs and expectations. The leading idea in implementing the basic values of equity in education also means that all learners receive a free two course warm meal daily, free health care, transportation, learning materials and counselling in their own schools (Sahlberg, 2007).
Well trained educators
Unlike some of the South African schools which still have the duty of training their educators to enable them to implement the IQMS as cited by Buthelezi (2005), Finnish educator education programmes are distinguishable by their depth and scope. The balance in theory and practical teaching in school programmes assist young educators to master various teaching methods including the science of effective teaching and learning. Finnish educators are conscious, critical consumers of professional development and in-service training services. Most compulsory, traditional in-services are replaced with school or municipality based longer terms programmes and professional development opportunities. To these educators, continuous upgrading has become a right rather than an obligation.
Intelligent accountability
The Department of Education in Finland did not follow the global accountability movement that assumes that making schools and educators more accountable for their performance is the key to raising learner achievement, but instead the education authorities and political leaders have been made accountable for their decisions and making the implementation of policies possible. The only standardised, high stakes assessment is the Matriculation Examination which is implemented at the end of general upper secondary school, before learners enter tertiary education. All assessment of learners is based on educator made tasks rather than standardised external tasks.
Primary schools in Finland are testing free zones reserved for learning rather than preparing learners for tests and examinations. Different teaching techniques are employed without fear of failure throughout the school system. Finnish parents, learners and educators prefer intelligent accountability that enables schools to focus on learning and allows more freedom in curriculum planning.
Culture of trust
According to Sahlberg (2007) the culture of trust means that the education authorities and political leaders believe that educators, principals, parents and their communities know how to provide the best possible education for their children. The culture of trust only flourishes in an environment that is built upon good governance and close to zero corruption. Lewis (2005) cited in Sahlberg (2007) has observed that honesty and trust is often seen among the most basic values and building blocks of Finnish society. Hence, trusting schools and educators is a natural consequence of a generally well-functioning civil society in Finland. Buthelezi (2005) is of the view that advocacy and training leads to an ethos of trust where educators work together. Many South African schools lack the culture of trust because they claim that advocacy and training programmes in respect of the implementation of IQMS were not effective in their schools.
Sustainable leadership
The Finnish government respects education as the main public service for all citizens, as well as an instrument for making the country successful in the world marketplace. Hence, the basic values and the main vision of education have remained unchanged since 1968. Educators in Finland have been given professional freedom to develop pedagogical knowledge and skills related to their individual needs. Sustainable political and educational leadership has enabled Finnish schools and educators to concentrate on developing teaching and learning as they best see it fit.
In response to the education development policies and reform strategies that intend to improve the quality of education and raise learner achievement by increasing focus on literacy and numeracy (as cited by Sahlberg, 2007), Sishuba (2005) and the Teacher (2011) contend that South African learners are not only failing their potential, but are failing in the area of mathematics and literacy. Moreover, the overall performance of South African learners is near the worst in the world.
Sishuba (2005) warns further that without drastic improvement in learners’ discipline which influences their academic performance, most South Africans learners will not achieve their potential and will remain in a subordinate position in labour markets
resulting in greater pressure for interventions therein, while the economic growth of the country will continue to be constrained. Nzimande in SETA (2010) confirms the argument of Sishuba (2005) and the Teacher (2011) by divulging that the latest figures show that 40% of the country’s youth do not complete high school and among those who do, a number cannot proceed with their studies because of the poor quality of their academic achievements.
According to the Teacher (2014), the Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan revealed in his budget speech that experts and analysts alike have warned that South Africa has no chance of increasing its growth target without an educated population and that the country was falling short on its mathematics and science performance despite the annual increases in funding. Casas (2011) suggests multicultural education as a way of meeting the needs and interests of learners including those learners who are on the verge of dropping out of school. According to Casas (2011), multicultural education will help the learners feel that their culture and values are appreciated and therefore continue with schooling.
Dewey in Casas (2010) urges educators to nurture the active side of learners by providing active learning. He further emphasises that learning activities should be meaningful and of practical use in order to solve real life problems. Active learning in this case refers to investigational activities like problem solving, group work and experiential learning. However, Dewey in Casas (2010) believes in the need to decrease the use of textbooks and lecturing in the classroom by allowing the learners to steer their own course for a better understanding of the world around them. Van Wyk in Lemmer (2003) confirms the views of Dewey by arguing that learners may perceive schooling as less relevant when they see no connection between the curriculum of the school and the culture of their families and neighbourhoods, when the values mentioned and demanded by the school are inconsistent with those of their peer group, and when they cannot see a connection between their academic work in schools and their future economic prospects. Again, community problems like teenage pregnancy, alcohol and drug abuse, delinquency, gang membership and socially disorganised communities with high rates of crime lead to poor academic performance of learners.