I think one factor that finland benefit from is the transparent spelling of the Finnish language. It takes a shorter time for children to learn how to read and write than in English or other language.
Teaching is a very prestigious profession in Finland. It’s not easy to be accepted in the study program to be a teacher.
All teachers have a Master’s degree, they are paid relatively well.
No standardized tests.
That’s why teachers don’t have to waste time teaching their students skills that they will need in a particular test. They can focus on things that will help them to really understand the things that are being taught and to creatively use them in their everyday life.
There’s a strong focus on creativity and childhood. Children are 7 years old before they are taught how to read and write. Younger children have lots of time to play, which allows them to discover, be creative, and learn in the process.
The idea is that also older children learn best when they are not too tired or too stressed. That’s why the amount of homework has to be reasonable, school days have to be relatively short, and between the lessons there always has to be a 15 minute break to go outside and play freely, for the children to be able to focus on studying again.
And the lunch served at school is healthy and free for the children.
Naturally it all starts with universal healthcare where families receive help if needed, ensuring a decent subsistence for all families with children, affordable high quality early childhood education — in short, a system that aims at taking care of everybody, not just those who can afford it.
I think there are things that are done right in a purely academic sense, too, but I think the system is a whole, you can’t really speak about education without taking into account all those other factors.
