Finland as model to follow (education system)

English Composition II Karen Mejía Santa María Dr. Jason Buchanan September 28th, 2012 “ Peruvian Education System should follow one of the most efficient education systems of the World: The Finland education system, hoping to achieve a better position in the list of world education rankings”. Abiding in the words of the Spanish philosopher Jose Ortega y Gasset, is not a new story to acknowledge that “ There is not great nation, without good education”. Considering statistics, (that we wish they will be biased), it’s so shameful to recognize that our Peruvian school system is one of the worst in the world. Our level has touched so down deep on the ranking list of educational systems, which I feel embarrassed about mentioning where we are ranked at. As probe of it, we see in the streets, the recent strikes at stake, movements for better teacher’s conditions and I can’t skip mentioning the horrifying demand from a group in order to reincorporate ex teachers, promoters of terrorism philosophy in universities. I mean holy cow! Isn’t that an enough alarming situation, to be stopped and to start working over? Therefore to avoid one of the worst migraines in a nation, which is already blinded by the darkness of ignorance. What I do will like to mention are five countries, that opposite to our situation, they are in the rank of the top of the better scores in maths, science and reading. These countries are: 1. Finland, 2. Japan, 3. South Korea 4. New Zealand 5. Canada . Anu Partanen in her article “ What americans Keep Ignoring About Finland’s School Success. ” December 29th, 2011. “ The survey compares 15-year-olds in different countries in reading, math, and science. Finland has ranked at or near the top in all three competencies on every survey since 2000, neck and neck with super achievers such as South Korea and Singapore. In the most recent survey in 2009 Finland slipped slightly, with students in Shanghai, China, taking the best scores, but the Finns are still near the very top. ” For the last results obtained since 2000, I choose Finland to be considered as a role model we should follow in order to start a new page in our history in order to transform our actual education system into an efficient and quality system in order to improve of the lives of children, teachers and students in general. Isn’t somehow TV the reflection of the idiosyncrasy of a country? Aren’t we tired of the trash we see in TV? Will be the one of the most admirable profession, as teaching, be the worst rewarded in Peru? Due to lack of education we are giving importance to issues that are not transcendent and this must change. How is it possible that by this century, we still have people that are analphabet and ignorant, and it is not because they don’t speak castellan but it is due to lack of interest of the government of investing a respectable budget for education system. According to the Peruvian Ministry of Education, “ 17 million of nuevos soles” have been assigned this 2012 for this duty, (Ministerio de Educacion) if we exchange that amount in dollars it would be around six million dollars, for 30 million Peruvians. While Finland which has approximately a population of six million people, has designed this year almost seven billion euros, which are around eight and a half million dollars (Ministry of Education and Culture). I know there is a different background and all that, but isn’t it curious how they handle their budget, what is assigned for education, actually refers to the 13% (Ministry of Education and Culture) so you can image our percentage is definitely lower than theirs. And for the last decade that our economy has improved, our education budget has to increase as well. Peru has been lately known for the “ boom” sensation in gastronomy and tourism. Shouldn’t we also work so we could be a “ boom” in education, I don’t consider surreal it, but yes a task that with strategic vision and compromise, we may be able to achieve, and It won’t matter if we do it by ourselves or If we require from outsiders in order to achieve. Doesn’t matter the price, we should only be concerned for the achievement, the efficiency, sustainability and hopefully success. I would like to mention some of the reasons that have made of Finland, an extraordinary example: “ All teachers are prepared in academic universities”. “ Free education for all. ” “ There are no mandatory tests or exams. ” What makes education in Finland that good? 10 reform principles behind the success. Bert Maes on February 24, 2010. As soon as your hear them I can already hear the bumbling around our own heads, saying how, or just believing it, but if we would consider believing as faith in the words of the apostle James , he would say that “ In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. ” James 2: 17 New International Version. We have decided to not strive for it, fight for it work for it, we just hope it will ramdomly naturally may, will improve, and that´s not going to happen. First we have to take care as I mention before the budget assigned, later on be concerned about making the change to happen, as Finland we have to ensure teacher’s receive good education, and it obviously comes along with good salaries, that is not any news, but as responsible citizens is a goal that our voices have to support as well. After all our taxes come from our pockets and the future of a country is in game. Is too idealistic in believing that we could handle to have free education for all, why? We have enough money right now coming from the mining royalties, do we want that money to be smoked? We don’t so let’s male sure of our government investments after all, what they don’t invest in our children, will definitely be our future very expensive investment, and finally haven’t we’ve been traumatized with super hard exams that nowadays we don’t remember at all, at in some cases might have become a serious issue we had to deal at home?. We need to embrace Finland´s heart towards the efficiency they are working with, after all, how can give up, if we have never tried before. Sources Ministerio de Educacion www. minedu. gob. pe/ Finland Ministry of Culture and Education http://www. minedu. fi/OPM/Linjaukset_ja_rahoitus/talousarviot/? lang= en What Americans Keep Ignoring About Finland’s School Success Dec 29, 2011 Anu Partanen http://www. theatlantic. com/national/archive/2011/12/what-americans-keep-ignoring-about-finlands-school-success/250564/ Statistics What makes education in Finland that good? 10 reform principles behind the success. Bert Maes on February 24, 2010 http://bertmaes. wordpress. com/2010/02/24/why-is-education-in-finland-that-good-10-reform-principles-behind-the-success/ Ranking in Education http://www. guardian. co. uk/news/datablog/2010/dec/07/world-education-rankings-maths-science-reading