Synergy benefits of culture and education as theme for key project seminar
Two international experts in extended education to Finland
The Ministry of Education and Culture will hold a seminar on the development of school day by increasing the supply of after-school recreational activities (extended education) on 13 March 2018. The keynote speakers will be Professor Gil G. Noam from Harvard University (USA) and Professor Sang Hoon Bae from Sungkyunkwan University (South Korea).
Endeavours to develop the school day by incorporating contents of arts, culture and physical activity into it are related to the Government key project aiming to launch recreational classes led by professionals at comprehensive schools. The purpose of the seminar is to introduce the benefits of after-school recreational activities especially from the perspective of children's development and growth, to participate in the global discussion on extended education from the perspective of Finnish operators, and to examine the possibilities to increase the supply of diverse recreational classes led by professionals at Finnish schools in the next few years.
In their addresses, Professors Noam and Bae will discuss the international extended education models and introduce potential future trends in Finland following the key project facilitating access to art and culture for children and young people, which will be concluded in 2019. The key project’s results so far will also be presented at the seminar.
The objective of the key project on children's culture and basic education in arts (2016–2018) is to create more cooperation between schools/kindergartens and operators in the field of children's culture and basic education in arts in order to improve the equal opportunities of children and young people to engage in art and cultural activities.
As a result of the key project, the supply of recreational classes led by art and culture professionals (basic education in arts and children's culture) as part of the school day for pupils in grades 1–10 of comprehensive school and for children in early childhood education and care has already been increased. The contents of the recreational classes are based on children's own wishes, which were established through nationwide pupil surveys. So far, around 60,000 children and young people have participated in the recreational classes provided in the afternoon after school day or within early childhood education and care. One in five of these children has acquired a new hobby through the key project activities.
The seminar is designed for art and culture operators, organisers of basic education in arts, local authorities, heads of schools, teachers and policy-makers. The seminar will be opened by Minister for European Affairs, Culture and Sport Sampo Terho and chaired by Director-General Riitta Kaivosoja from the Ministry of Education and Culture. The seminar will be held in English.
The seminar will be held on 13 March 2018 at 9.30–15.00 at the auditorium of the National Museum of Finland (Mannerheimintie 34, Helsinki).
Inquiries:
- Hanna Koskimies, Senior Officer, [email protected], tel. +358 2953 30048
- Iina Berden, Senior Ministerial Adviser, [email protected], tel. +358 2953 30069