Finland’s education ministry denies lowering standards in proposed primary school reforms

Finland’s ministry of education has proposed reducing the scope of the national primary school curriculum to improve declining learning outcomes, but insists the changes will not lower academic standards, Yle reports.

A working group under the Ministry of Education and Culture released a report on Tuesday recommending fewer and clearer objectives in the core curriculum for basic education. The goal is to reverse the trend of weakening student performance.

Education minister Anders Adlercreutz (NCP) told Yle the reform is not about lowering expectations. “This is not about reducing the level or standards of education,” he said in an interview on Yle Aamu. Instead, the focus is on simplifying and clarifying assessment criteria, particularly the boundary between passing and failing grades.

Adlercreutz highlighted inconsistencies in current grading practices, where identical skills can result in different marks depending on the school. “Right now, the same level of competence might be a nine in one school and a seven in another—that’s not acceptable,” he said.

The Trade Union of Education (OAJ) supports streamlining the curriculum but warns that reforms require additional funding. Jaakko Salo, OAJ’s head of education policy and a member of the ministry’s working group, said the current curriculum is overly complex and open to interpretation. “When we cut the excess, the requirements become crystal clear,” he said.

Two principals interviewed by Yle stressed the need for clarity while preserving teacher autonomy. Arttu Parkkinen, principal of Ylikiiminki School, said well-defined goals help tailor instruction to students’ needs, whether they require extra support or advanced challenges. Heli Siljama, principal of Maatulli School in Helsinki—where half the students are non-native Finnish speakers—cautioned against reducing subjects like arts and crafts, which she called essential life skills.

Both principals and the OAJ emphasized that reforms must be backed by resources. Salo noted that student needs have grown over two decades, yet schools still operate on 2010s-era budgets. “Motivation has declined, support needs have risen, and reading for pleasure has dropped—but funding hasn’t changed at all,” he said.