The core curriculum is a national regulation issued by the Finnish National Board of Education, on the basis of which the local curricula are drawn up.
The purpose of the core curriculum is to provide a common ground for the local curricula and thus promote equality and equity in education and the rights of the pupils within the whole country. The core curriculum supports and steers the provision and implementation of basic education.
The national core curriculum contains the guidelines for the provision of education as well as the objectives and key contents of instruction. The core curriculum also addresses development of the school culture and cooperation, implementation of education, instruction and guidance, support for learning, pupil welfare as well as assessment of learning. To support the work of the education providers, the core curriculum also contains references to the legislation that underpins the norms laid down in this document and the field of basic education as well as guidelines for preparing the local curricula.
Annexed to the core curriculum are the recommendations for the objectives and contents of instruction as well as assessment of pupil’s learning in three subject syllabi (sámi language, roma language, and pupil’s own mother tongue) that complement basic education.
