An appropriation of slightly under EUR 6.7 billion is proposed for the administrative branch of the Ministry of Education and Culture in the state budget proposal for next year, the total sum of which is EUR 54.1 billion. The government submitted its proposal for the 2013 budget to the parliament in September. The parliament will make the final decision on the budget by the end of the year.
The objective of the administrative branch of the Ministry of Education and Culture is to ensure equal opportunities for high-quality education from early childhood education to higher education. The availability of competent workforce is secured by targeting education and through means such as developing the education system and the methods used in admissions processes.
In the fields of cultural, physical exercise and youth policies, emphasis is placed on their long-term significance for well-being and on equal access to the services provided by the sectors in the country as a whole.
As a savings measure, the government transfer index and the university index the administrative branch of the Ministry of Education and Culture intended to cover a rise in cost level will be frozen for 2013. However, an index increase will be made to government transfers for theatres, orchestras and museums.
Social guarantee for young people to come into force in 2013
In accordance with the government programme, all unemployed people under 25 and all recent graduates under 30 will be provided with a job or study placement. An annual allocation EUR 60 million for the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Ministry of Employment and the Economy is earmarked for the social guarantee scheme.
The guarantee ensures that each young person graduating from comprehensive school gains an opportunity to continue his or her education in an upper secondary school, vocational education and training, workshop, rehabilitation or somewhere else.
In order to implement the guarantee, the number of students in vocational education and training is increased and reorganised. The use of apprenticeship training in the education of young people is strengthened further. In order the reach young people not covered by the provision of educational, employment and social services, workshop activities are developed and outreach youth work is expanded.
In addition, a competence programme for young adults enables the attainment of a vocation qualification to young people aged 20 to 29, who before the rollout of the social guarantee have not been able to obtain a qualification or find a place to study. The competence programme aims at 36,000 new students between 2013 and 2016. A total of EUR 27 million will go to the competence programme for young adults in 2013.
Quality and equality for general education
General education promotes the realisation of equality in education and of equal cultural rights. The amount proposed for general education is EUR 975 million, out of which the share of government transfers and government grants to be paid to municipalities and other providers of education and training is about EUR 852 million.
The sum of EUR 100 million is proposed for developing and strengthening the quality of general education, out of which EUR 60 million would be used for reducing group size in basic education. Children’s right to a safe and flexible school day is reinforced by increasing pre- and after-school activities and supporting extra-curricular activities in schools. The literacy of children and young people is strengthened through the launch of a national programme.
The preparation of legislation and the administration and supervision of legislative work in the field of early childhood education and day-care services will be transferred to the Ministry of Education and Culture in 2013. This will serve to strengthen the continuum from early education to basic education. Also, the preparations for an early childhood education act will be launched.
The objectives and distribution of lesson hours in general upper secondary education to be reformed
The quality of general upper secondary education will be strengthened, and the objectives and the distribution of lesson hours guiding the contents of the education will be reformed. The matriculation examination will be developed for example by enabling its wider application in admissions to higher education. Immigrants’ opportunities for general upper secondary education will be improved by the provision of training preparing them for upper secondary school.
Funding for general upper secondary education will be reformed so that, using instruments such as distance learning, it will secure the quality and regional availability of the education in a situation where the number of young people of upper secondary school age is decreasing.
Access to vocational education and training secured
A total of EUR 737 million is directed to vocational education, out of which the share of government transfers and government grants is EUR 724 million.
The access of those without qualifications to vocational upper secondary education and training is improved by targeting education so that the number of starting places is sufficient particularly in the metropolitan area and growth centres. Applying for and admissions to educational institutions are made more effective by reforming the application and education information system. Funding for vocational education and training is reformed.
EUR 500 million for adult education and training
The sum of approximately EUR 503 million is proposed for adult education and training. As part of actions to balance central government finances, the volume of apprenticeship training is reduced, and the unit price of vocational further education and training is checked.
The provision of vocational further education and training and apprenticeship training will be increased for young adults with no qualifications obtained after comprehensive school as part of the competence programme for young adults.
The system of competence-based qualifications will be strengthened as a system for recognising competence acquired in working life. The funding for the system will also be developed.
EUR 2.7 billion for the costs of higher education and research
The sum of EUR 2.7 billion is proposed for the costs of higher education and research. State funding for the activities of universities will be EUR 1 852 million, and the government transfers and government grants to universities of applied sciences will amount to EUR 412 million. The proposed appropriation for the amount of funding to be allocated by the Academy of Finland is EUR 283 million.
The funding for universities will be reformed from the start of 2013. Of the basic funding, 75 per cent will be determined based on the scope, quality and impact of the activities, and 25 per cent will be based on other goals of education and science policy. State funding will be directed particularly on the basis of degrees and credits obtained, scientific publications and competed research funding.
In 2013 the Sibelius Academy, the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts and Theatre Academy Helsinki will merge to form the University of the Arts Helsinki.
Admissions to higher education institutions will be reformed, the application system will be developed and the volume of study counsellor education will be increased. Study processes are developed to prolong work careers. The offering of education is adjusted to better match education needs.
Universities of applied sciences will reduce their offering by 2030 starting places from 2013 onwards. A reform of criteria for funding, operating licences and educational responsibilities is prepared.
Broad utilisation of research results and competence is promoted. The instruments of science policy are used to promote the formation and internationalisation of research clusters and their attachment to research and competence networks. Research funding is used to strengthen research infrastructures, preconditions for high-quality research and, for example, clusters of high-level expertise.
EUR 434 million for culture and the arts
Cultural policy strengthens the foundation for culture, improves equal access to cultural services, promotes the situation of persons working in the creative industry and improves the opportunities for making use of the creative economy.
A sum of EUR 434 million is proposed for the costs of culture and arts. The sum of EUR 188 million will go for the government transfers of theatres, orchestras and museums.
Structural reforms in arts administration are continued. Centre for the Promotion of the Arts will begin operations, and the preparations for the reform of the administrative model of the Finnish National Gallery will be continued. The preparations for the merger of the National Audiovisual Archive and the Finnish Centre for Media Education and Audiovisual Media will continue. The activities of the Institute for Russia and Eastern Europe as a government agency will be discontinued at the end of 2012. A new foundation will be established to promote the provision of cultural services for the Russian-speaking population.
Support for physical exercise among children and young people
The goal of exercise policy is to ensure the availability of exercise services and promote a lifestyle involving sports and exercise. Support is directed to removing the obstacles of leisure activities involving physical exercise for children and young people by supporting efforts to render the cost of such activities more reasonable. More effective solutions are sought the work to reform high-performance sports in order to build a foundation for success in international competitive sports.
The proposal sets aside EUR 152.4 million for the cost of the sports and exercise sector, of which EUR 6.3 million is reserved for the renovation of the Helsinki Olympic Stadium.
EUR 74 million for youth work
The focal points in youth work and youth policy are to promote the implementation of the social guarantee for young people and the development the child and youth policy programme with a special emphasis on expanding outreach youth work and developing workshop activities for young people.
The amount proposed for youth work is EUR 52.6 million. The funding level for basic youth work is still secured. A total of EUR 27 million will be set aside for workshop activities for young people and outreach youth work. In addition, support is given to the strengthening of Sami youth culture and "language nest" activities.
EUR 532 million worth of betting and lottery revenue for education and culture
A total of EUR 532 million worth of the proceeds of Veikkaus (the Finnish lottery, betting and pools games company) is estimated to be available for the funding of science, art, sports and exercise and youth work.
Out of these funds, EUR 102.2 million is proposed for science, EUR 224.8 million for the arts, EUR 152.3 for sports and exercise and EUR 52.6 million for youth work. Out of the funding for the arts, sports and exercise and youth work, 52 to 100 per cent consist of betting and lottery revenue.
http://www.minedu.fi/OPM/Tiedotteet/2012/09/budjetti.html?lang=en