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State: Parliamentary democratic system.
Population: 5.2 million.

Religion: 84,2% Lutherans, 1,1% Orthodox, 0,4% Muslims, 1,1 % Others (Jews etc.), 13,5% no religious affiliation.

Recently the Orthodox Church has begun to grow. It has now over 60,000 members. The Catholic Church has a membership of around 8,000. The Protestant denominations, for example Baptists, Methodists, the Salvation Army and Adventists total membership remains under 1% of the population. Number of Jews is about 1,000.

Education: Pre-school teaching is provided in schools and day care centres. Pre-school teaching starts a year before children go to the comprehensive school. The aim of pre-school teaching is to improve children's capacity and skills for school and learning. Participation in pre-school teaching is voluntary. However, entering the pre-school education is child’s subjective right.

Children start compulsory school at the age of 7. It is also possible to start school one year earlier or later based on a medical psychologist ´s or physician's statement. Finland has nine years of compulsory schooling. Local authorities primarily run comprehensive schools. The government contributes to the financing of all schools. Nine years of basic education can be continued in two major ways either in vocational training or in upper secondary level. Both vocational and upper secondary studies make it possible to continue one’s studies in the polytechnic school or at the University (www.oph.fi)

Legal and Historical basis

Religious education is rendered in the own religion of the majority which in Finnish context means Lutheran religious education. RE in Finland is non-confessional and an RE teacher does not need to be a member of the Lutheran or any church. The teacher needs to have a qualified training for RE which usually requires an university diploma (Master´s degree).

A non-Lutheran pupil can also take part in Lutheran RE if their guardians so request. Schools must also give instruction in religions other than Lutheran faith (such as islam, baha´i etc.) if there is a minimum of three pupils representing the faith in the school. The religion in question must be registered in Finland and the students´ family must belong to the religion. All RE must have a curriculum which needs to be accepted by the National Board of Education. However, some Christian minority groups are taking part in Lutheran RE lessons in spite of the option mentioned above but on the other hand if one’s own instruction is available, the pupil has no right to opt out from it.

The status of the Orthodox instruction differs from other religious minorities. If there are at least 3 Orthodox children in municipality schools instruction is automatically provided and parents request is not needed.

The concept "according to one’s own religion" is rather new since before year 2003 RE was defined denominational. However, during the last two decades the Finnish Lutheran denominational RE has been understood as non-confessional in spiritual or religious meaning. The term confessional indicates the content of education. The major content was knowledge about one’s own religion. In this meaning religious education differs from religious practice. So basically one’s own religion is an updated version of the recent good practice.

Religious education is compulsory both in comprehensive schools (7-16 years) and in senior/upper secondary schools (16-18/19 years). Over the past 30 years the interpretation of the term "confessional" has been problematic since there is a change in the meaning when connected to religion. For example, if the content in primary level is Bible stories it could be evaluated in many ways as confessional. This has led to discussion on whether the pedagogies in RE should be developed in a way that encourage pupil’s own reflection and nourish an open atmosphere.

The final push to reject the word “confessional” from RE was the new Act for Religious Freedom (2003). The previous law term established freedom from religion, but the current law is made on the basis of a positive right: freedom for religion. The confessional and denominational concepts were ambiguous and causing problems. The simple way was to legislate current good practice.

The main aim of the Lutheran education in Finland is to make the students more aware of their own religious culture. Students ´own developmental status is always taken as a guideline in teaching. RE helps students to understand the meaning of religion to individuals, and to see how religion influences society and culture. The objective is a broad general education in religion and on personal level.

Religious Education in the School System

A. The Subject(s)

Those pupils who are not members of any congregation or religious group are provided instruction in secular ethics where different worldviews and ethics are studied. In Finland there are 11 different curricula for the RE. All of them are labelled RE but officially a prefix gives expression on which curricula is in case. Because RE is related to one’s own religion every RE version has it’s own name, for example Orthodox RE.

RE is compulsory in the basic education (ages 7-15/16) and also in upper secondary school (ages 15/16 - 18/19). In vocational education there is no instruction in RE. In upper secondary school there are three obligatory courses in RE: Course I: Introduction to religion as a phenomenon, dimensions of religion and The Bible. Course II: The History of the Christian Faith. Course III: Christian Ethics. A pupil can choose more courses if s/he wants to. There are at least two extra courses available: world religions and religion in Finland. The student has an opportunity to major in Religion in the National Student´s Matriculation Exam. This means that in order to pass the Student´s Matriculation Exam the student must show adequate skills in RE (in addition to other subjects).

B. The approach to teaching RE

In RE, the religious dimension is approached from the standpoint of the pupil's growth. RE is seen as a broad cultural and social phenomenon. Instruction in religion emphasizes religious knowledge and readiness to encounter new religions and worldviews.

RE offers basic knowledge, skills, and experiences for building an identity and a worldview. The instruction encourages encountering the religious and ethical dimension in one's own life and the life of the community.

In primary education the objectives of the instruction are to:

The first objective is relatively easy to achieve in Finland. Since 84% of the Finns are Lutherans the major part of RE teaching is Lutheran. The focus in teaching is to understand the freedom of religion as a positive right. This emphasis has become more dominant especially among the smaller religion groups.

The major aim of the Lutheran instruction is to introduce the religious culture to the pupils in as many ways as possible. The methods in teaching always take the student ´s developmental stage into consideration. It is thought that RE helps the students to understand the meaning of religion to individuals, and to see the influence religions exert in society and culture. The objective is to construct broad general knowledge of religion and apply it on a personal level.

During the first five years of elementary school the core task of instruction (in the Lutheran religion) is to offer materials for the construction of the pupil's worldview. RE introduces the surrounding religious world to the students via giving information and personal experiences. RE familiarizes the students with the Bible and encourages them to exercise responsibility and ethical judgement.

The majority of Finnish schools are public and there are only few private schools. In general, Finnish schools are not based on religion or supported by the religion. However, there are a few (less than 15) Christian schools in Finland. There are also some other faith related schools. For children, school and educational equipment (books, pens etc.) are free of charge.

The schools can develop individual profiles by focusing on some special area, such as languages, mathematics and sciences, sports, music or arts. In Finland, 99.7 % of the age group complete compulsory education.

RE curricula are made in The National Board of Education. It is made in various working groups, which have also had denominational representatives. Every school and municipality area should have their own adaptation of the national curriculum. Usually professional teachers make the adaptations based on their classroom perspective. Municipality is legally responsible for the syllabus. Municipal authorities have the right to make general local syllabi if they choose to do so. Schools are not allowed to alter those syllabi.

The commercial publication companies publish books for RE (as they publish books for other subjects such as mathematics and languages). Books are based on the national curriculum, but some freedom of content exists, however. Schools have the right to choose which book they want to use. This makes school books also commercial products, one book costing approximately 20 euros.

C. Teachers

During the first six school-years, the primary school teacher teaches all or most of the subjects and usually gives education in religion, too. Education in the junior high is usually in the form of subject teaching, where there are different teachers for each subject. One for mathematics, one for English language, one for RE etc. Basic education also includes pupil counselling and, if necessary, special education. Teacher education in Finland takes place at universities. The majority of subject teachers in RE are Masters of Theology who have specialized in teaching.

Schools are part of the society and local authorities pay the salary (the average starting salary of a teacher is approximately 2300€/month).

D. Public Examination

In Finland there are no inspectors. The local principal is responsible for the quality of teaching. In difficult situations The National Board of Education can give consultative advice. In 2003, the National Board of Education made criteria for the good learning practice at the fifth grade concerning Lutheran RE. The aim is that the pupils will know the key things about the Bible and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. The pupils should also know how to use what they have learned to acquire more knowledge. The pupils should be able to perceive religion as a cultural phenomenon. They should understand the nature of religious language usage and recognise religious symbols, concepts, and metaphors.

At upper secondary level RE can be part of the Student Matriculation Exam.

E. Private Sector and regional differences

In Finland private sector is not remarkable and it is following national curriculum in RE issues. RE is taught according to the national curriculum all over Finland, there are no regional exceptions.

Current developments and challenges

The status of RE teaching in Finland is recently established. New national curricula were published in 2004 and schools have made their syllabi after that. The parliament has made clear decision about RE. At one point there was political discussion in which the aim was to unite all RE under the same subject. Parliament made vote and the result was 75% against one RE model and pro the one’s own religion -model. New Act for the Religious Freedom is made in positive aspects. Everyone should have the right to religion.

Multicultural development could be remarkable in Finland in the future. In contemporary Finland the multi-faith schools have concentrated around the largest cities, especially in the areas of (capital) Helsinki. If there are many more faith traditions who want to have their own curricula in schools the costs of RE will become higher than nowadays. It might put pressure on RE integration. However, the parliament’s opinion is clear: right to own religion and right to receive RE is essential. Money is not driving over it.

In Finland the standard of teaching is high among the subject teachers of RE. The challenge of teacher training is in the standard of teaching among primary school teachers. It could be said that the academic training program is not giving good enough methods for RE teaching in the primary school level.

Marja Honkaheimo and Juha Luodeslampi

www.suol.fi - www.oph.fi - www.evl.fi

Report in Finnish

Kesäinen tervehdys kaikille EFTRE:n jäsenille!

Jokainen SUOL ry:n jäsen kuuluu myös Euroopan Uskonnonopettajien Foorumiin (EFTRE = European Forum for Teachers of Religious Education). EFTRE toimii aktiivisesti uskonnonopetuksen edistämiseksi Euroopassa ja sillä on 17 jäsenmaata. Nettisivuilta www.eftre.net löydät lisää tietoa EFTRE:n toiminnasta. SUOL ry kuuluu EFTRE:n hallitukseen (executive) ja tuo oman, suomalaisen värinsä eurooppalaisen uskonnonopetuksen kenttään. Olemme mm. mukana järjestämässä konferensseja ja käymme aktiivista dialogia eri maiden edustajien kanssa.

EFTRE:n hallitus kokoontui huhtikuussa Compstalissa, Cheshiressa (lähellä Manchesteria), hallituksen jäsenen, Jane Brooken, kotona. Kokouksen pöytäkirja on luettavissa EFTRE:n nettisivuilla, kohdasta ”Publications and reports.” Työntäyteisen viikonlopun aikana keskityimme suunnittelemaan seuraavaa konferenssia, joka pidetään Budapestissa 23.-26.8.2007. Konferenssin teemana on Uskonnonopetus ja Kansalaisuus (”RE and Citizenship”) ja se räätälöidään uskonnonopettajien tarpeita vastaavaksi. Luvassa on opetusvinkkejä, workshopeja, luentoja ja mahdollisuus tutustua upeaan Budapestiin sekä tietysti keskustella eri maita edustavien kollegoiden kanssa. Toivotan suomalaiset uskonnonopettajat sydämellisesti tervetulleiksi Budapestiin sankoin joukoin! Konferenssin tarkka ohjelma ja esim. ilmoittautumisohjeet julkaistaan myöhemmin.

(Ohjelman työn alla oleva versio on luettavissa Compstalin kokouksen pöytäkirjasta.)

Suomalaisen uskonnonopetuksen korkea taso herättää ihailua monissa maissa ja koen, että meillä on kaikilla paljon annettavaa muille eurooppalaisille. Yksi tapa vaikuttaa on ideoida konferenssille T-paita! Yksiväriselle pohjalle painettu teksti? Kuva? Sarjakuva? Joku muu, mikä? Lähetäthän ideasi allekirjoittaneelle, kiitos. Eräs EFTRE:n hallituksen jäsenistä ehdotti tekstiksi ”RE and Citizenship – Joint Venture or Fatal Attraction?” – miltä se kuulostaisi?

EFTRE osallistuu aktiivisesti myös muiden uskonnonopetusta käsittelevien organisaatioiden ja järjestöjen toimintaan. Yksi tällaisista organisaatioista on CoGREE. CoGREE kokoontui huhtikuussa Wienissä. Kokouksessa käsiteltäviä asioita olivat mm. CoGREEn tulevaisuuden näkymät., toiminnan luonne ja organisaation rakenne. Kokouksessa käsiteltiin myös monikulttuurisuutta. Monikulttuurisuus on koulujen arkea ja uskonnonopetuksella on tärkeä rooli kulttuurienvälisen dialogin edistämisessä. CoGREE:n suunnitelmissa on mm. julkaista uskonnollista monimuotoisuutta ja monikulttuurista koulutusta käsittelevä opas koulujen tarpeisiin (Religious Diversity and Intercultural Education: a Guide for Schools). Opas on ostettavissa CoGREEltä syksystä 2006 alkaen. Jos opas kiinnostaa, otathan minuun yhteyttä.

Yksi merkittävä teema eurooppalaisessa uskonnonopetuksessa on kulttuurienvälisen, rauhanomaisen kanssakäymisen edistäminen. Kazanissa pidetyssä seminaarissa, jonka teemana oli ”Dialogi, suvaitsevaisuus ja kasvatus” (Dialogue, Tolerance and Education”) pureuduttiin aiheeseen Euroopan komission ihmisoikeuskomissaarin, Alvaro Gil-Roblesin johdolla. CoGREEn jäsen James Barnett oli mukana seminaarissa edustamassa uskonnonopetuksen näkökulmaa. Suomi on kehityksessä mukana EFTRE:n kautta. CoGREEn kokouksessa EFTRE:ä edusti puheenjohtaja Sonja Danner.

EFTRE:n nettisivuilta löydät ajankohtaista tietoa siitä, miten uskontoa opetetaan Euroopan eri maissa. Painikkeen ”Project and Practice” alta avautuu mm. suomalainen opetusvinkki aiheesta ”Godly Play” (Kiitos, Juha Luodeslampi & co UPI:ssa, Järvenpäässä.). Otan mielelläni vastaan opetusvinkkejä julkaistavaksi EFTRE:n sivuille (lähetäthän vinkkisi sähköpostiini, osoite alla). Tarkoituksena on myös perustaa nettisivuille Teacher´s Corner, jonka välityksellä uskonnonopettajat voivat vaihtaa keskenään ideoita ja ajatuksia. Otetaan ilo irti EFTRE:n jäsenyydestä! Otan mielelläni vastaan uskonnonopetukseen liittyviä ajatuksia ja ideoita ja välitän ne eteenpäin eurooppalaisille kollegoillemme.

Toivottavasti olette viettäneet onnellisen ja virkistävän kesäloman ja saaneet virtaa niin kansainväliseen kuin kotimaiseenkin toimintaan!

Marja Honkaheimo - September 2007

Suol ry:n edustaja EFTRE:n hallituksessa
Sähköposti: marja.honkaheimo@espoo.opit.fi

www.suol.fi - www.oph.fi - www.evl.fi

Suomen uskonnonopettajain liitto ry (SUOL; Association of Finnish RE Teachers)