Researcher Salomé Martínez, Education Laboratory director of the Center for Mathematical Modeling (CMM) from Universidad de Chile, was invited to be part of the Chilean delegation that is in Finland these days to know about the educational model in that country. The visit —framed in the discussion about the changes Chilean education needs— is led by secretary of Education Nicolás Eyzaguirre with a group of senators, teachers’ representatives, and experts from different universities.
“It is participating an important group of stakeholders from the Education in Chile. The possibility to share the experience of the Finnish model with this wide diversity of people and to discuss about the main issues in education is a very rich experience,” says the professor Martínez from Helsinki.
Finland has a recognized educational system. On the one hand, it has the first places in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) tests and, on the other hand, it has also eliminated the stress in the classroom and the students’ selection at the same time that gives free education. Finnish students spend less time in the classroom, start the school later (seven years old) and have less homeworks than the average of the OECD countries. The State also provides books, school supplies, food and transportation for their students.
“It’s a system with a great coherency, where educational policy is a national consensus and doesn’t depends on the incumbent government. Its funding is stable and reach all the kids, following principles of equity in education. It’s a trust-based system, where teachers have excellent preparation and enjoy high social reputation. I think all these elements are a key to improve our educational system,” says the CMM researcher.
The Forum Chile-Finlandia on Education is attended not only by Salomé Martinez, but also by other researchers from the Faculty of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, such as academic director from Center for Advanced Research on Education and director from Industrial Engineering Alejandra Mizala.
