Finland’s Minister of Education, Anders Adlercreutz, recently summarized the Finnish education success with three words: trust, equality, and freedom. Those values work well in Finland. But the question is: should they be treated as a global formula for education reform?

Speak Your Mind! 🎯 “Is the Finnish education model really that golden — or simply uniquely Finnish?” by Dejan Trpkovic

What drives Finland’s schools? Minister Anders Adlercreutz shares the three key principles.

25–OCT–2025 | Too often, policymakers and consultants present the “Finnish way” as a ready-made recipe for success. Yet when other countries try to replicate even parts of it, the results are often mixed or disappointing. Why? Because education systems are not mechanical frameworks; they are cultural and social ecosystems. What works in one country may not work in another.

The cultural, economic, and political environment shapes how any education system functions. Finland’s model is built on high institutional trust, professional respect for teachers, consistent funding, and a strong welfare infrastructure that ensures equality among schools. These conditions are not easily replicated elsewhere…and certainly not in countries where inequality, instability, or politicized policymaking dominate.

Another question rarely asked: how do we measure “success” in education? Is it enough that students score high on international assessments? Or should we look at how they adapt, build careers, and contribute to society once they leave school?

This leads to a deeper point. Are Finnish students — who grow up in a stable, predictable, and well-organized system — necessarily better at adapting to real-world challenges than those who come from more chaotic, unpredictable environments? Young people from less structured systems often learn to improvise, to compete for every opportunity, and to find creative solutions. That kind of resilience and drive can be a powerful advantage later in life.

Education success should not be defined by how smoothly a system runs, but by how well it prepares people for a world that rarely runs smoothly.

Admiring the Finnish education system is easy; understanding why it works — and why it might not elsewhere — takes honesty.

Dejan Trpkovic
Managing Director, PRODIREKT
Founder of Verbalists Education & Language Network