Delhi eyes Finland school model

Basant Kumar Mohanty, TT, Jan 18, 2018, New Delhi: The Centre is examining Finland's school education model, focused on each child learning at her own pace, to see how much of it India can emulate.

The Prime Minister's Office sent a note to the human resource development ministry this month asking it to study Finland's system, highlighting the 100 per cent government funding, flexible curriculum and teaching methods, and the high salary of and rigorous training for teachers.

The department of school education and literacy is examining the note, official sources said.

Academics and education experts have welcomed the initiative but some are sceptical about its implementation in India.

Anup K. Rajput, head of elementary education at the National Council of Educational Research and Training, said the Finland model of learning focused on "social constructivism" - a theory that stresses human development in the social context and generation of knowledge through interaction with others.

"They believe in education that values both inside-classroom and outside-classroom experiences. They promote learning at ease. They have individualised curricula to help learners proceed without pressure," Rajput said.

Children are not failed in any class and there are no annual exams. A system of continuous evaluation is followed, such as the one introduced in India under the Right to Education Act but often criticised.

Teachers in Finland, as in Germany, are highly paid and come through a rigorous training process. They enjoy the trust of the government in devising their teaching methods and curricula according to the aptitude of the child.

A researcher at the National University of Educational Planning and Administration said that Indian teachers were poorly paid.

In many states, teachers are hired on contract and have no job security. "The Finland model is difficult to implement," the researcher said.