A taste of foreign education was experienced in the Upper Hunter recently when schools were fortunate to open their doors to Pertti Terho, the Education Director of the Municipality of Kuhmoinen in central Finland.
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The Finnish director was in the area to mark Education Week taking part in the local awards ceremonies and visiting many public schools including Scone Public, Ellerston Public, Belltrees Public and Scone High School.
Guided by the NSW Public Schools Director for the Wollemi Network Mark Young, Mr Terho also visited nearby Muswellbrook, Willow Tree, Wallabadah, Quirindi and Tamworth schools.
Scone Public School senior students had the chance to quiz Mr Terho on education in Finland, including highlights like children learning three or more languages, living in three weeks of total darkness each year and differences in teacher qualifications.
Mr Terho said in Finland, teachers have to obtain a masters degree and have the highest level of education to be permitted to teach.
Although he fulfils a similar role to Mr Young, Mr Terho has one school in his region, whereas Mr Young has 31.
The visit was part of a program to build capacity and oversee good education – Leading Educators Around the Planet – where Mr Terho has spent two weeks in Australia and Mr Young will visit Finland later this year.
Mr Terho said although the education systems in Finland and Australia are quite similar, there are some important differences and the systematic teacher’s education system is one of them.
He said even pre-school teachers need to have a masters degree and the selection process is quite different, as teaching is a very highly regarded profession in Finland.
“It has been very rewarding to have discussions with Mark, the teachers and children about education in Australia,” he said.
Mr Young said for NSW schools to improve they need to continue to learn as an education system and look at the broader issues out there by putting them into our context.
“It’s good to see schools already following the leads of other countries like Finland by taking more control over funds and the way they are used, as well as adapting teaching strategies and programs to maximise what is bet,” he said.
“It is beneficial to learn what we can try as a system to keep growing and learning.”
Being his first time in Australia and with a strong interest in horses, Mr Terho was fortunate to have a tour of Arrowfield thanks to the Scone High School students.
