FINLAND – OPH

Finnish National Agency for Education EDUFI
Mail address:
P.O. Box 380
FIN-00531 Helsinki

Visiting address:
Hakaniemenranta 6
FIN-00530 Helsinki
Phone +358 29 533 1000
Fax + 358 29 533 1035
www.oph.fi/en

CIDREE respresentative:
Ms Minna Kelhä, Director General

CIDREE National Coordinator:
Ms Erja Vitikka
Phone +358 29 533 1225
Fax + 358 29 533 1035
erja.vitikka(at)oph.fi

Institutional size
approx. 290

Institute’s mission

Finnish National Board of Education is a national development agency. FNBE is responsible for the development of pre-primary, basic, general upper secondary, vocational upper secondary and adult education. FNBE is subordinate to the Ministry of Education and Culture and its tasks and organisation are set in the legislation.

Key functions

The activities of the FNBE include implementing national education policies, preparing the national core curricula and requirements for qualifications, developing education and teaching staff, monitoring education and learning outcomes, undertaking evaluations, as well as services for the education sector and administration.

Educational sectors covered

Pre-primary, basic, general upper secondary, vocational upper secondary and adult education

Current educational priorities/projects


• Renewal of the core curriculum for pre-primary and basic education: www.oph.fi
  The national core curriculum for pre-primary and basic education is being renewed. The process involves all stakeholders, particularly education providers and education personnel. The aim is also to encourage parents and pupils to participate.
• Educational guarantee – a study place for everyone finishing basic education: 
The Youth Guarantee came into force from the start of 2013. It will offer everyone under the age of 25, as well as recent graduates under 30, a job, on-the-job training, a study place or rehabilitation within three months of becoming unemployed. Attention is paid to not leaving young people without a study place or work for too long, as this increases their risk of social exclusion.
• Local Development Plans – 
Local authorities are encouraged to draw up local development plans for education according to the national educational development plan.

Current organisational priorities/concerns
National education evaluation reform: From 2014 on evaluation activities concerning education will be concentrated in a single Education Evaluation Centre. The Finnish Centre for Evaluation of Education will combine the evaluation of learning outcomes currently carried out under the Finnish National Board of Education and the evaluation of education and higher education institutions implemented by the Finnish Education Evaluation Council and the Finnish Higher Education Evaluation Council. The combining of the functions aims to strengthen education evaluation activities. The establishment of the centre will highlight the independent status of activities in the field of external evaluation of education.