Finland turns 100!
On December 6th of 1917 Finland declared itself an independent nation, ending its autonomy with Russia. In marking 100 years of independence, the Finnish Prime Minister’s office has established an organization to oversee the official celebrations. The theme of the programme is, Together, encouraging citizens to contribute to their communities by taking part in a variety of activities, big or small.
“The year 2017 will mark Finland’s 100th anniversary as an independent state. It will be an important year for Finland full of events created through joint efforts. The anniversary year will generate actions, experiences and an extensive programme for events. It will be seen and heard across the country throughout 2017. Through these actions we will reflect on the past 100 years of Finland’s independence, assess its present and explore its future.”
Thanks to our predecessors Finland, a country of proud and hard-working people, has had the opportunity to invest in a state of progression for the past 100 years. The frightening, yet enticing fact is that we do not know what the future will hold for us. We can only strive to create a vision that will secure Finland’s sustainability, equitability and independency for generations to come.
The celebration theme, Together, ties in an important message in modern day Finland - now more than ever, with the vast changes we are experiencing, we need each other, everyone’s joint efforts and commitment in accomplishing that future for ourselves.
In exploring the past, present and future of Finnish education HundrED is a proud part of the programme for the centenary of Finland’s independence in 2017.
Education has played a substantial role in the country’s development throughout its independence due to the equity and autonomy of the education system at all levels.
The much discussed teacher training programme - a five year master’s degree in didactics and pedagogies, the pedagogical freedom of teachers in choosing their approach to educating, personalised learning models, phenomenon based learning and student self-assessment, as well as the Finnish National Curriculum have all contributed to well being and the impressive test results the country has had the pleasure of enjoying in recent years.
HundrED has been given the honorable opportunity, in partnership with Finland100, to work to ensure Finland’s education system continues to not only soar, but equally progresses in this ever-changing world. HundrED’s 100 Finnish experiments begin in the Fall of 2016 in schools across the country and 100 international case studies are currently being gathered globally to be presented throughout the celebratory year.
Education is not limited to age, gender or ability. Together as a nation we can set the pace for the next 100 years of independence.
To learn more about the inspiring on-goings of Finland100, visit: suomifinland100.fi