Yleisopetus

Yleisopetus, meaning general education in Finnish, refers to the portion of formal schooling that provides a broad, non-specialized foundation of knowledge and skills for all students. It is designed to develop critical thinking, literacy, numerical and digital competence, and civic and social skills, preparing learners for tertiary studies or various career paths. General education is distinguished from vocational education and training, which focuses on preparing students for specific trades or occupations.

In Finland, yleisopetus forms the core of perusopetus, the nine-year basic education that is compulsory for children. The national core curriculum, overseen by the Finnish National Agency for Education, defines the aims, content, and assessment within yleisopetuksen framework. The curriculum covers a common set of subjects, including the mother tongue and literature, a second language, mathematics, science and environment, social studies, arts and crafts, physical education, and foreign languages. The aim is to provide equal access to high-quality education and to support diverse learning needs through inclusive practices and support services.

After completing perusopetus, students have options to continue with general upper secondary education (lukio), which leads toward higher education, or to vocational education and training (amattillinen koulutus), which prepares for specific professions. Yleisopetus in Finland emphasizes equity, lifelong learning, and the development of competencies needed in modern society, while varying across municipalities within the national framework.