Perusopetuslaki

The perusopetuslaki, or the Act on Basic Education, is a Finnish law that provides the framework for the country’s basic education system. It governs how basic education (peruskoulu) is organized, funded, and supervised and establishes the legal rights and responsibilities of students, parents, schools, and municipalities. The act applies to nine-year comprehensive schooling, typically for children aged about seven to sixteen, and interacts with related provisions for pre-primary and upper secondary education.

Key provisions of the act include the organization and delivery of instruction, assessment practices, and the overall management of basic education. It enshrines the right to free and equal education and emphasizes inclusive education and support for students with special educational needs. The act also sets obligations for guidance and counseling (opinto-ohjaus), welfare services, and measures to promote student safety and wellbeing within schools.

Municipalities carry primary responsibility for arranging basic education under the act, including staffing, facilities, and funding. Schools and school authorities are required to implement the National Core Curriculum, which provides the overarching objectives and content guidance for teaching in cooperation with local needs. The act also governs admissions, attendance, transfer procedures, and data handling, and it establishes mechanisms for monitoring, evaluation, and accountability.

The perusopetuslaki works in conjunction with other legislation governing related stages, such as pre-primary education and upper secondary education, and it has been revised periodically to strengthen inclusivity, equality, and the integration of new methods and digital learning. Overall, it forms the legal backbone of Finland’s approach to universal, equitable basic education.