peruskoulu
Peruskoulu, meaning basic education, is the Finnish compulsory comprehensive school. It provides nine years of schooling for children, typically from age seven to sixteen, and forms the core of Finland’s education system. Peruskoulu is publicly funded and administered by municipalities, within a nationwide framework set by the Finnish National Agency for Education.
The school is divided into two stages: ala-aste (grades 1–6) and yläaste (grades 7–9). The curriculum is
Teaching is typically organized with class teachers in the early years and subject teachers in the upper
Upon finishing peruskoulu, students receive a completion certificate and may continue to general upper secondary education
Historically, peruskoulu emerged from reforms in the latter half of the 20th century that replaced early tracking