Finland’s Right to Learn Programme
Achieving equity and quality in education
Finland has been widely regarded as one of the most successful education systems in
the world. However, recent trends suggest that Finland’s considerable achievements
may be at risk. The country’s performance in international student assessments has
been declining over the past decade, as gaps among student groups and levels of school
segregation have grown. In light of these developments, Finland is advancing a number
of policies, notably under the umbrella of the Right to Learn (RtL) Programme, to
improve quality and equity in early childhood education and care (ECEC), pre-primary
and basic education. This analysis explores the Ministry of Education and Culture’s
(OKM) planned reforms in regard to the country’s main education challenges and priorities.
At the request of the Ministry, the analysis focusses on three main policy issues:
(i) financing equity and quality in education, (ii) expanding participation and strengthen
quality in ECEC, and (iii) equalising education opportunities through strengthening
the local school policy. A final section looks at some of the cross-cutting issues
that emerge from the OECD’s analysis. This analysis offers policy considerations aimed
at strengthening the design and implementation of the RtL Programme.
Published on September 29, 2022
In series:OECD Education Policy Perspectivesview more titles