Teachers and educational staff

At all school levels, teachers are highly qualified and committed. A Master’s degree is a requirement, and teacher education includes teaching practice. As the teaching profession is very popular in Finland, universities can select the most motivated and talented applicants. Teachers work independently and enjoy full autonomy in the classroom.

In the spring term of 2005, there were 44,300 teachers and principals in total within basic education and 12,000 in vocational upper secondary education and training.

At general educational institutions, instruction may be given by

• kindergarten teachers, who may give pre-primary education in separate pre-primary classes
• class teachers, who mainly provide instruction for grades 1–6 in basic education, teaching all subjects, and who may also give pre-primary education
• subject teachers, who teach one or several subjects in basic education (primarily in grades 7–9) and/or in general upper secondary education and who may also work at liberal adult education institutions and as teachers of core subjects in vocational institutions
• special needs teachers and special class teachers, who may provide instruction for children in need of special needs education
• pupil counsellors and student counsellors, who may offer educational guidance in basic education and in general upper secondary education.

Teaching staff at vocational institutions may include:

• teachers of core subjects
• teachers of vocational studies
• teachers providing special needs education
• student counsellors of vocational institutions

The principal is also considered a member of the teaching staff. Polytechnics have official teaching posts and other teaching positions for principal lecturers and senior lecturers. In addition, polytechnics may have lecturers and visiting lecturers. Education staff includes e.g. student counsellors, special needs assistants, school psychologists, school public health nurses, school doctors, librarians and administrative staff.

Teachers enjoy pedagogical autonomy in the classroom. Teachers are considered pedagogical experts, and are entrusted with considerable independence in the classroom, and also have decision-making authority as concerns school policy and management. They are deeply involved in drafting the local curricula and in development work. Furthermore, they have almost exclusive responsibility for the choice of textbooks and teaching methods.

Teachers are recruited by the municipalities.

Teacher training

The education of teachers varies according to the level and type of education or institution they want to be qualified for. In general education class teachers have a Master’s degree with a major in pedagogy, whereas subject teachers major in the subject that they teach. Teachers in vocational education and training in turn take pedagogical studies after first having completed a degree in the relevant vocational field. Special needs teachers as well as guidance and student counsellors specialise after having completed their teacher education. In higher education, in polytechnics and universities teachers are generally required to have a post-graduate research degree.