Pasi Sahlberg Talk at Parliament House

Canberra 18
th
June, 2014
Pasi Sahlberg is a former Director-General of
Education in Finland and now a visiting
Professor of Practice at Harvard Universitys
Graduate School of Education in ambridge!
"#! US#$ He was introduced by #ngelo
Gavrielatos! President of the #ustralian
Education Union$
%he auditorium was full! but notably absent
were any oalition "Ps in the audience$
Pasi Sahlberg e&'lained that Finland was
initially sur'rised when their education system
was out'erforming others around the world in
se'arate "athematics and (iteracy tests done
by P)S# *Programme For )nternational Student
#ssessment+ over many years$ ,ther countries
wanted to -now how Finland had done it! and it
too- Finnish e&'erts some time to com'are and describe its educational 'rocess! and analyse
why it was so successful$
%he Finnish education system was not aiming to be the best in the world! it was aiming at
realising Finland.s vision of every child reaching his/her full 'otential! whatever that may be! in
whatever is the best 'ath for that child$
Finland is way ahead of #ustralia in education not least because of its inclusive a''roach$
Finland regards its children as an im'ortant asset$ Education in Finland is seen as a social and
economic investment: an investment in Finnish society.s social well-being! as well as
contributing to a durable 'ath of economic growth$ #ll Finnish children receive a F0EE 'ublic
education from Preschool right through to the end of University! including an alternate 'athway
for those who don.t want to go to University$ High School is divided into two 'arallel streams!
one for a general High School education that is a 're'aration for University! and one more li-e
our %#FE colleges$
%here are no 'rivate schools in Finland$ %he early ones were absorbed into the current
framewor- of funding$ )n Finland! as in many other high-'erforming countries! the first time
that 'arents or students need to choose between one school and another is delayed until the age
of 12$ E3uity in education is guaranteed$ )n Finland, students educational achievement is less
affected by their family backgrounds than in most other countries.

Finland focusses on the whole child$ )ts education system 'rovides rich e&'eriences across all
curriculum areas4 the arts! sciences! music and drama are as im'ortant as literacy and
numeracy$ %he focus is not 5ust on literacy and mathematics! and standardised testing *li-e
6#P(#6+ is not the most im'ortant indicator of a child.s success$ %he results in the P)S#
tests are the result of Finland.s holistic a''roach to each child$ Every child is given the best
education the country can afford! su''orted according to individual needs! talents and interests
to become the best that he or she can become$
%eachers in Finland are chosen from the to' 'erforming students! and their minimum training
is a "aster.s Degree! with the e&'ectation that further training will continue throughout their
careers$ %hey are considered 'rofessionals and given autonomy! res'ect and inde'endence$
1

See 7(esson 8. below$ %eachers ta-e each child.s needs and talents into consideration when
tailoring each child.s education 'ath! and they are trusted to evaluate and -now how that child
is 'rogressing$ %eachers drive the 'olitical decisions and resources to su''ort the best
educational outcomes$
Finland has found that it costs far less in the long run to get education right from the earliest
age! rather than 'ay for remedial education later on! or the later social costs which a country
would 'ay if education does not 'rovide e3uity and 3uality$ Since every child.s 'athway of
learning is entrusted to a 'rofessional teacher! remedial wor- is started very early! and each
child.s 'rogress and individual needs are ta-en into account throughout their education$
Face-to-face teaching time is much less in Finland than in #ustralia *about 299 hours 'er year!
com'ared to :99 in #ustralia+
;
$ Every teacher has an office with a 'hone! and release time is
used to 're'are resources for lessons! consider each child.s individual 'rogress and needs! and
have time to evaluate and im'rove their teaching s-ills$
Dr Sahlberg observed that #ustralia is lac-ing in women in high 'ositions of 'olitical 'ower$
He commented that a woman who wants to be in 'arliament in Finland is considered a valuable
asset! and one who is a teacher as well is their most eagerly sought after 'olitician< =omen are
valuable not 5ust for their intelligent contribution! but also for their .nurturing. attitudes! which
lead 'olicy to loo- after 'eo'le better$
>#s at "ay ;91?
8
Finland has about ?;$@A women in the lower house or single chamber!
com'ared to #ustralia with ;2A House of re's *lower house+ being women! according to %he
)nter-Parliamentary Union$ %his 'ercentage includes women in government as well as in
o''osition B we have very few women in high 'ositions of 'ower in government at the
moment$ =omen in 'arliament account for only 1:$8A of seats in the US$ =e can see how
badly the US is suffering from this lac- of .nurturing. in their 'arliament$ #ustralia at the
moment is showing the effects! too<C
Dr Sahlberg 'raised the Gons-i 0eview as one of the best a''roaches with the aim of
increasing e3uity that he.d seen around the world$ He was adamant that the best way
forward for Australia is an education policy based on research, not political ideology$ Dr
Sahlberg said #ustralia had the uni3ue chance to tac-le ine3uity and be a world-leader through
its Gons-i needs-based funding model$
Pasi Sahlberg stated that e3uity in education is essential for achieving outcomes of e&cellence
in education! and he 'resented ,ED findings to su''ort that statement$ He said! ."ost
successful education systems are those that combine e3uity with 3uality$ #ustralia is the only
country in the ,ED where learning differences between advantaged and disadvantaged
students is large$.
?
%he gra'h below shows Finland.s investment in e3uity and 3uality in education com'ared to
the other ,ED countries$ 6ote #ustralia around the middle with medium 3uality and medium
e3uity$
@
%his gra'h and other ,ED evidence shows that equity in providing resources
to allow for any social, economic or physical disadvantage yields improved
results.
%here is overwhelming su''ort of the Gons-i recommendations from 'arents! teachers!
'rinci'als! academics and the general #ustralian community! and also from 'rivate schools$
%he research clearly 'oints to the need for targeted funding based on situational needs of
children and of schools$
Dr Sahlberg 'resented research that shows that4
1. Competition between schools does not produce results.
2. quity in providing resources to allow for any social, economic or physical
disadvantage yields improved results.
!. "ore autonomy and respect is needed in Australia for teachers to get on with
the #ob of using the resources to suit each child$s needs and individual schools$
various problems.
He said that Australia needs an aspirational eduation poli! based
on "#S#A"CH not politial ideolog! $ and praised the %onski
"eport as being an e&ellent basis 'or poli! diretion(
)n a recent article
2
Dr Sahlberg said #ustralia was falling behind because disadvantaged
students missed out$ ..)f you loo- at the #ustralian 'erformance in P)S#! it has been downhill
since the beginning! but ) often argue it is not that the 3uality of teachers or 3uality of school is
worse! but because the e3uity in schools has become worse$..
Dr Sahlberg said #ustralia blamed the socio-economic status of students on 'oor achievement
rather than creating a school system where all children! regardless of their bac-ground! had the
o''ortunity to thrive$
)n summar!, *hat an Australia learn 'rom the +innish
e&ample o' suess'ul publi eduation,
ducation policy needs to be based on research, not on political ideology.
quity in education is essential. )nvestment in the nation.s future through education
im'roves the well-being! 'ros'erity and social conse3uences for everyone in the nation$
(ac- of 'ro'er investment in education will cost more in the long run through
unem'loyment! crime! detention! de'ression! mental illness! 'hysical health 'roblems$
All #ustralian children need to be su''orted! and those with 'oor educational outcomes
will need to receive the e&tra funding targeted to assisting them with their 'articular
needs$
Focus more on the .whole child. and his/her individual needs! talents and as'irations$
%his is more difficult to manage than .batch 'rocessing. in classes! and re3uires
manageable class siDes$
Focus far less on standardised testing such as 6#P(#6$ )nstead! loo- at the .whole
child. and each child.s individual needs and education 'ath$ Focus on teaching .how to
learn. and fostering a life-long love of learning! creative 'roblem-solving and discovery
learning B in short! involving the child in the learning process$
Eroaden the focus of education to include the arts! music and other e&'eriences to
enrich children.s learning$ For e&am'le! funding s'ecialist music teachers in 'rimary
schools would instantly add a huge dimension of fun! creativity and cultural in'ut to all
children$
Fuality teachers ma-e the most difference to children$ %eachers need to be funded for
continuing on-the-5ob training$ %hey need more 'aid release time to im'rove their
s-ills! to -ee' u' with escalating technological change! to collaborate with and learn
from other teachers$ =e need to believe in and res'ect our teachers for the difficult and
com'le& tas- they do$
Parents are 5ust as im'ortant and home/school collaboration needs to flourish$
ollaboration and co-o'eration are 3ualities we need to foster more in our leaders$
Princi'als and the way they o'erate have a huge effect on a school.s atmos'here$ %he
old 'roscri'tive to'-down a''roach doesn.t cut it B teachers need room to be creative!
to ada't their own teaching styles to suit their class.s needs! to try new a''roaches! to
use technology in new ways to su''ort each child.s learning 5ourney$
Ey Gesse 0owan
Parent! Eroulee Public School PH
1I Guly! ;91?
1 Pasi Sahlberg htt'4//'asisahlberg$com/w'-content/u'loads/;918/9I/anberra-%al--;91?$'df
; ,ED! How "uch %ime Do %eachers S'end %eachingJ htt'4//www$oecd$org/education/s-ills-
beyond-school/?:281?1K$'df
8 =omen in 6ational Parliaments! )nter-Parliamentary Union! "ay ;91?$
htt'4//www$i'u$org/wmn-e/classif$htm
? Pasi Sahlberg htt'4//'asisahlberg$com/w'-content/u'loads/;918/9I/anberra-%al--;91?$'df
@ Pasi Sahlberg htt'4//'asisahlberg$com/w'-content/u'loads/;918/9I/anberra-%al--;91?$'df
2 #le&andra Smith! S"H Gune 1@! ;91? htt'4//www$smh$com$au/national/education/australia-
falling-behind-in-education-due-to-na'lan-'asi-sahlberg-;91?921?-
8a?I;$htmlLi&DD82oMFNtFU