Three-year plan for developing vocational education and training — EUR 80 million for recruiting teachers and instructors

The Ministry of Education and Culture is launching a three-year programme for assessing the quality and equality of vocational education and training. Over EUR 270 million has been allocated for 2020–2022 for improving learning opportunities and outcomes, increasing wellbeing and a sense of community, supporting education providers to reform their procedures and practices, and strengthening the capacity of education providers to respond to changes in their operating environment. Altogether EUR 80 million has been allocated for this year to recruiting vocational teachers and instructors, and a call for applications for an additional EUR 15 million in discretionary government grants will be open in the autumn.

The three-year programme is part of the implementation of the Government Programme of Prime Minister Sanna Marin's Government. The programme promotes raising the level of competence, strengthening the equality of education, reducing learning gaps and realising objectives related to improving quality in vocational education and training, as is laid down in the Government Programme.

In addition, the three-year programme helps prepare the of Government’s key measures, such as extending compulsory education, reforming continuous learning and measures for supporting integration.

The development programme for improving quality and increasing equality in vocational education and training includes four sets of measures:

• Improving learning outcomes and learning opportunities — strengthening the quality of vocational education and training
• Increasing wellbeing, a sense of community, and participation
• Advocating vocational education providers to reform their procedures and practices and supporting their management
• Improving the capacity of education providers to respond to changes in their operating environment.

A broad-based steering group will be appointed to guide, monitor and support the implementation of the programme. The Ministry and the Finnish National Agency for Education are responsible for the implementing the programme.

- Competence requirements will become higher and change significantly in the future. People will need strong competence to be able to enter the labour market or to pursue further studies. People will also have to brush up and update their competences throughout their whole career. For this reason, it is imperative that we continue to improve vocational education and training so that we can guarantee all students a solid competence base and opportunities for continuous learning. It is the best asset to have in a changing world”, says Minister of Education Li Andersson.

EUR 80 million to recruit teachers and instructors for vocational education and training

The Ministry of Education and Culture has granted vocational education and training providers EUR 80 million for recruiting teachers and instructors and for support measures in vocational education and training. Boosting the resources of education and instruction is a central measure in the programme.

The funding was disbursed to a total of 109 education providers across Finland. It is earmarked for recruiting new teachers and instructors and for raising the number of teaching hours for existing untenured teachers. It can also be used to recruit staff for teaching aid, which would allow teachers to focus on actual teaching. The purpose of this additional funding is to make sure all students are given the teaching, guidance and support they need.  Special attention will be placed on students who need extra support in their studies.

- We want to improve quality in vocational education and training by increasing the amount of contact teaching.  That is why we are recruiting more teachers and instructors. It is important especially in these exceptional circumstances caused by COVID-19 that all students get the teaching and support that they need.  Investing in education and in the people's wellbeing is vital for recovering from this crisis, says Minister Andersson.

The additional funding is a continuation of the EUR 20 million funding allocated for the same purposes in late 2019. In total, the Government Programme aims to increase allocations for these purposes by EUR 235 million. Decisions on allocating the remaining amount of funding will be made later in the course of the government term.

In early autumn, the Finnish National Agency for Education will invite applications for multiple discretionary government grants under the three-year programme. Approximately EUR 15 million will be open for application.

Inquiries:

The programme:
Tiina Silander, Director, tel. +358 295 330 188
Seija Rasku, Senior Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 295 330 270

Teacher recruitment matters:
Mika Tammilehto, Director General, tel. +358 295 330 292
Johannes Peltola, Project Coordinator, tel. +358 295 330 292