“Finland’s Pisa Results a ‘Complete Disaster’ for Education System, Says School Principal”
The recently published Pisa results have sent shockwaves through Finland, with many expressing disappointment and concern over the country’s education system. According to Nicke Wulff, a primary school principal in Turku, the results have revealed a troubling reality: the once highly esteemed Finnish school system has now become mediocre on the international stage.
Wulff’s comments come as Finnish officials have scrambled to explain the disappointing results, citing a variety of factors such as large class sizes, distractions from social media, and inadequate support for students. However, Wulff believes that these explanations only serve to mask the true issue at hand.
“We need to move away from the idea that school should be a smorgasbord where the children themselves should be able to pick and choose between different options and set the level for their own teaching,” Wulff said. “It does not work; the great mass of us humans are too lazy and go where the bar is lowest.”
The principal emphasized the need for a return to traditional classroom teaching, with teachers defining clear goals, delivering instruction, and evaluating students’ performance. He also called for a renewed focus on demanding more from students, rather than providing individualized plans that lower the bar for academic achievement.
“The school must regain the right to demand that students do their best and achieve results for it,” Wulff stated. “If you do not manage the goals in the curriculum, you must train and practice until you do; in pure Swedish you should be able to go over your grade level.”
Wulff stressed the importance of providing the school with more resources and support, including increased instructional time in lower grades and a reduction in unnecessary bureaucracy. He believes that by collectively raising expectations and demanding more from students, the education system can achieve improved results in the future.
As Finland grapples with the aftermath of the Pisa results, Wulff’s perspective offers a critical examination of the current state of the education system and a roadmap for potential improvements.