Evaluation of the general upper secondary education reform (LUKA)

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The Finnish Education Evaluation Centre (FINEEC) has launched a large-scale evaluation of general upper secondary education. The evaluation focuses on recent reforms of the general upper secondary education system and is included in FINEEC’s education evaluation plan for 2019–2023. In the course of this evaluation conducted in 2021–2024, data will be collected from general upper secondary education providers, educational institutions, principals, teachers and students. The data collection will take place in 2022–2024.

Achievement of the objectives of the general upper secondary education reform will be evaluated in stages as the introduction of the National Core Curriculum for General Upper Secondary Education progresses, and the results of the sub-projects will be published regularly to support the development of general upper secondary education.

The evaluation focuses on key amendments to the Act on General Upper Secondary Education, the objectives of which are to develop teaching at general upper secondary schools, promote transversal competence, and to improve guidance counselling, support for learning and student wellbeing. The aims of general upper secondary education also include promoting internationality as well as cooperation with higher education institutions, workplaces and other education providers. The update of the Act on the Matriculation Examination together with the amended Act on General Upper Secondary Education are at the core of the general upper secondary school reform launched in 2017.

The purpose of the LUKA project is to produce versatile evaluation data on the general upper secondary school reform and 1) the attainment of its objectives, 2) its effectiveness and impacts, 3) factors that promote and hamper the achievement of the objectives as well as development needs, and 4) to propose practical solutions and good practices associated with the priorities of the reform. The evaluation will also produce information to support the introduction and implementation of the National Core Curriculum for General Upper Secondary Education (LOPS 2019) in the years to come. Additionally, its aims include evaluating accessibility and equality in general upper secondary education and the processes of education development.