The Reinvention of the Comprehensive School System in Finland: how do market-oriented reforms impact upon equity and equality of opportunity?
FORUM - ISSN 0963-8253
Volume 51 Number 1 (2009)
The Reinvention of the Comprehensive School System in Finland: how do market-oriented reforms impact upon equity and equality of opportunity?
ANNAMARI YLONEN pages 9-24
DOI: 10.2304/forum.2009.51.1.9
Abstract
This article examines the changing nature of comprehensive schooling in Finland since the 1990s and focuses on analysing the impact of the changes on equity and equality of opportunity. Comparisons are made between the development of 'school markets' in the south of the country and the situation in the north of the country where the case study municipality is situated. The developments in this municipality are found to be in contrast to the situation in the south of the country, particularly in the capital Helsinki, where competitive education markets have been encouraged to develop, creating more diversity and more competition between schools for students. This suggests that the various local areas can have their own policy priorities with contrasting policy aims, reflecting, in part, financial considerations and constraints which can have very different outcomes for equality of opportunity.
To cite this article
ANNAMARI YLONEN (2009) The Reinvention of the Comprehensive School System in Finland: how do market-oriented reforms impact upon equity and equality of opportunity?, FORUM, 51(1), 9-24. https://doi.org/10.2304/forum.2009.51.1.9