Adult education policy is designed to provide a wide range of study opportunities for the adult population. Different institutions arrange a great variety of courses and programmes for adults at all levels of formal education, and the provision of liberal adult education is extensive.
With the exception of further and specialist vocational qualifications, adult education and training leading to qualifications is provided free of charge. The government also subsidises other forms of education and training intended for adults in order to keep student fees at a reasonable level.
The annual number of participates in adult education and training is 1.7 million, which makes half of the working age population. This is a very high figure in international terms. The aim is to raise the participation rate in adult education and training to 60% by 2008.
The challenges facing adult education in the future will be to respond to the constant ageing of population and to growing multiculturalism, to motivate adults to study, to improve the learning-to-learn skills among the poorly educated and trained, and especially to ensure equity and equality.
The aim of the adult education is to
- enhance the knowledge and skills of the adult population;
- increase educational opportunities for groups that are under-represented in adult learning, and to promote equality and active citizenship.
According to the Adult Education Committee the strategy of adult education and training should be built on four principles in the future:
- self-improvement will form part of the lives of a growing number of citizens, as work communities evolve towards learning organisations;
- adult education and training will provide trained work force for all job categories and all vocations and professions;
- adult education and training will develop teaching and learning methods and content, providing quality opportunities for people to develop themselves both in qualifying and liberal education; and
- adult education and training will maintain and strengthen participatory democracy, prevent exclusion and support active citizenship.
The Provision
Adult education and training is provided by some 800 institutions in Finland; some of them are specialised adult education providers. Adult education is available within the official education system and in liberal adult education in adult education centres, folk high schools and summer universities. Liberal adult education does not lead to a qualification but the studies completed in liberal adult education may be taken into account in preparatory training for competence-based qualification and when making an individual plan for completing competence-based qualifications.
Adult education also includes staff-development and other training provided or purchased by employers. Labour market training is financed by the labour administration and mainly intended for unemployed persons and those aged 20 or over who are threatened by unemployment.
Educational establishments arrange education and training intended for adults at all levels of the education system. It may lead to qualifications or relate to general self-development.
The objective of adult education in Finland is to support lifelong learning among the citizens, to develop society’s coherence and equality and to enhance the knowledge and skills of the adult population. Efforts have been made to make the provision as flexible as possible in order to enable adults to study alongside work, among other.
Finnish adult education and training has traditionally been divided into two main areas: general adult education and vocational adult education and training. Educational institutions and other corresponding education providers involved in adult education and training may be divided into the following groups
General and interest-oriented:
- General upper secondary schools for adults;
- Folk high schools;
- Adult education centres, study centres, and educational organisations;
- Physical education centres;
- Institutions providing basic art education, like music institutions;
- Summer universities.
Vocational:
- Institutions providing vocational education and training;
- Vocational adult education centres;
- Specialised vocational institutions;
- Continuing education centres of universities;
- Polytechnics;
- Home economics counselling organisations;
- Organisations for crafts and design.
Others: