Turku – supporting traditions in constantly reforming education and teaching
The history of education in Turku is 750 years old, and the city schools have offered education for more than 150 years. Long history provides a solid foundation for looking into the future: modern learning environments, new ways of learning, bilingualism and internationality make Turku a unique place to go to school.
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Early childhood education and care
The City of Turku has approximately 50 day-care centres that operate in Finnish and Swedish, and which can consist of several locations.
Early childhood education and care in the City of Turku offers part-time, full-time, evening and 24-hour early childhood education and care, pre-primary education and complementary early childhood education and care in connection with day-care centres and schools. Family day care is organised in the nanny's home and as three-family day care. Turku also has private early childhood education and care in day-care centres, group family day care and family day care. Early childhood education and care organises Swedish language immersion and pre-primary education as well as English ‘language shower’ and pre-primary education.
The aim of early childhood education and care is to promote comprehensive growth, development, health and well-being in accordance with each child's age and development; to support the child's prerequisites for learning; to promote lifelong learning and the implementation of educational equality in accordance with inclusive principles; and to implement versatile pedagogical activities and enable positive learning experiences.
Open early childhood education and care includes early childhood education and care clubs, open day-care centres, family clubs and guided activities in the playground. Early childhood special education services include various forms of support for children in neighbouring day-care centres or regional integrated groups as well as the services of special needs teachers.
- Further information on early childhood education and care
- Early childhood education and care service guidance: +358 (0)2 262 5610
- Early childhood education and care chat
Basic education
Basic education in the City of Turku includes 28 Finnish-speaking, four Swedish-speaking and one English-speaking school (Turku International School). In addition, the City of Turku is responsible for teaching provided at the hospital, i.e. the Kiinamylly School. More than 70 languages are spoken as first languages in Turku schools. In addition, Turku provides special classes in various languages, natural sciences, physical activity and music.
The aim of basic education is to support the pupil's growth and to provide them with the necessary knowledge and skills. The task of basic education is to respond to the changing needs of society, such as the digitalisation of teaching and learning. Turku offers all grade 4–9 pupils personal computers.
The focus of basic education in Turku is on pupils' activity, participation and well-being. The pupils influence matters through e.g. The student union activities, the Turku Parliament of Children and the Turku Youth Council.
In addition to Finnish and Swedish, basic education is provided in English at Turku International School and in French in the language class at Vähä-Heikkilä.
General upper secondary education
Thanks to high-quality teaching, Turku upper secondary schools produce top scores in matriculation examinations, and pupils of Turku upper secondary schools are admitted to higher education institutions more often than the national average. General upper secondary school can also be completed in English or Swedish and flexibly in Turku evening upper secondary school. In English, you can complete upper secondary school on the IB track of Turun normaalikoulu. Students can select courses from all upper secondary schools in Turku and go abroad as an exchange student.
Nearly all upper secondary schools in Turku have a special task granted by the Ministry of Education, such as music and physical education. In practice, a special task is carried out in addition to normal upper secondary school studies as, for example, large music productions or field research courses in the Archipelago Sea.
Adult education centres
Turku adult education centres offer annual courses, lectures and seminars, and their largest subject groups are languages, handicrafts and information technology.
The centres also offer multicultural teaching, most of which consist of Finnish and Swedish language courses at different levels, as well as recreational subjects. Integration courses, as well as courses on various other topics, are provided for those with an immigrant background. Students in need of special support have also been taken into account in the provision of teaching.
- Further information on the website of the Finnish Adult Education Center of Turku www.turuntyovaenopisto.fi
- Further information on the Swedish-speaking adult education centre Arbis www.aboarbis.fi
Vocational education
The Turku Vocational Institute (TAI) offers upper secondary vocational education and training for young people and adults. There are nearly 30 vocational upper secondary qualifications, further vocational qualifications and specialist vocational qualifications. TAI also offers preparatory training for degree education (TUVA) and basic education for adult immigrants.
The teaching takes place in school buildings around Turku. Teaching is also available in the schools’ own genuine learning environments, for example at detached house construction sites, at the TAITO restaurant, Hostel and teaching ship Borella and at the Wision Welfare Centre. Education is available in Finnish, Swedish and English.
TAI implements individual and tailored training solutions. The individualisation of studies creates flexibility in career planning for both young people and adults. TAI makes it possible to complete a double degree and a so-called athlete path and offers a path towards higher education studies.
TAI trains teachers and workplace instructors and actively co-operates with companies and local business and other educational institutions. Active competition activities, internationality and multilingualism are part of everyday life, and student and teacher exchanges are organised throughout the academic year.
Swedish language education and training
Swedish-speaking education and teaching play a major role in Turku as a whole, and the services are also used by residents of neighbouring municipalities.
In addition to high-quality pedagogy, Turku's many Swedish-speaking day-care centres and preschools invest in strengthening Finnish-Swedish culture. Swedish-language education is secured from day-care centre activities to basic education and studies in upper secondary education institutions.
The oldest upper secondary school in Finland is Katedralskolan i Åbo, which is one of the best in the country.
The Turku Vocational Institute has Swedish-speaking tracks in the fields of trade and information technology, and the Åbo svenska arbetarinstitut ‘Arbis’ offers versatile course and recreational activities in Swedish.