News
Early childhood education in Finland
Today, I write on Early Childhood Education, an important aspect of the Finnish educational system which I admire so much.
According to research and other official information, in a population of 5.5 million in Finland, 74.6 per cent of people aged 25 to 64 have completed Upper Secondary or tertiary education. And, 33.2 per cent have university or other tertiary qualifications.
What intrigues me more is the aspect of early childhood education and how play is used as an important way to help children learn at school. Another aspect is the less number of hours that children spend at school, but which has been effective for students’ learning abilities.
As I have been saying, the Finnish educational system is regarded as one of the best in the world and is admired even by other highly advanced, rich countries.
Universalism in education
Finland has a fee-free education at all levels from pre-primary to higher education. In pre-primary and basic education the textbooks, daily meal and transportation for students living further away from the school are free.
According to the “Education in Finland” series, published by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture and the Finnish National Agency for Education, a central objective of the Finnish education policy is to offer all citizens equal opportunities to receive education.
The structure of the education system reflects these principles. The same educational opportunities should be available to all citizens irrespective of their ethnic origin, ages, wealth or where they live.
One of the basic principles of Finnish education is that all people must have equal access to high-quality education and training. (Only students from non-European Union and non-European Economic Area (EEA) pay tuition fees in higher education (university level), which came into effect about three years ago.
Early childhood educational curriculum
Every child in Finland from 10 months to six years has a right in early childhood education, which is backed by the Finnish law of early childhood education, 549/2018.
Researchers point out that one of the key principles of the early childhood education curriculum system is universalism, meaning that every child should have access to quality educational services.
Play-based learning, less home-work
Many research reports have emphasised how teachers are trained and are expected to be sensitive towards children’s feelings and personal well-being.
Play-based learning at school is highly encouraged. Teachers are expected to encourage children to learn through playing, while teachers are encouraged (or expected) to encourage children in that direction.
There are different practices of play, and children are viewed as active agents for play and learning. The setting in the room, time allotted, and the general atmosphere are all considered enabling factors to help children learn.
Children easily enter play-based activities and watched over to solve problems thus learn by doing things.
Students in primary and even higher level have only five hours per day in school. For children in early education, they also have little home work outside of school.
Thank you.
By Perpetual Crentsil
The writer is a Ghanaian lecturer at the Helsinki University in Finland
A member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr. Sammy Ayeh has picked up nomination forms to contest for the position of Deputy National Communications Officer position.
Announcing his intention, Dr. Ayeh said he is offering himself to help communicate the party’s vision clearly and connect its message with the aspirations of Ghanaians.
He expressed deep gratitude to the party’s National Communications Officer, Lawyer Sammy Gyamfi, describing him as an able leader on whose shoulders he has risen.
“His exceptional leadership, mentorship and confidence in me have shaped my journey and strengthened my resolve to serve,” Dr. Ayeh stated.
He said if elected, he will seek to build on that foundation by strengthening research-driven communication, empowering grassroots communicators, and enhancing strategic media engagement.
Dr. Ayeh humbly appealed to party members and supporters for their support.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The Data Protection Commission has called on the Minority Caucus in Parliament, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, JoyNews and other media houses to protect the personal information of 1,964 Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa.
In a press release issued on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, the Commission expressed concern over the public disclosure of the evacuees’ personal details, including their names, signatures and records of financial assistance received.
It warned that making such information public could expose the affected individuals to identity theft, fraud and other forms of harm, especially given the threats to their safety that some of them may have faced.
The Commission explained that the 1992 Constitution protects the dignity and privacy of every individual. It also cited the Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843), which sets out rules for the lawful collection, use and disclosure of personal information.
While acknowledging the importance of transparency, parliamentary oversight, the right to information and press freedom, the Commission stressed that these principles do not automatically justify the unrestricted publication of personal details.
It said the disclosure of the records by the Minority Caucus, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, JoyNews and other media organisations must be assessed based on the law, the purpose of the disclosure and the privacy rights of the individuals involved.
The Commission further noted that although the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Parliament are registered data controllers in good standing, their registration does not exempt them from their legal responsibilities under the Data Protection Act.
It has therefore urged all the parties involved to take appropriate steps to protect the affected individuals, including immediately restricting access to or removing personal details from publicly available records where their continued disclosure is not legally justified.
The Commission announced plans to conduct a regulatory review to determine whether the disclosures had a lawful basis, what safeguards were applied and whether the privacy rights of the evacuees had been adequately protected.
It said it would engage the relevant parties as part of the review and take appropriate regulatory action if any breach of the law is established.
The Commission reiterated that protecting personal information and respecting human dignity must remain central to efforts to promote public accountability.
By: Jacob Aggrey
