Education policies for cultivating student learning: The model of Finnish and Singaporean approach

The modern world is more competitive and complex one in terms of getting a quality education and forwarding the countries into the development path. This research contends that system-wide excellence in student learning should be attainable with reasonable cost, using education policies differing from conventional market-oriented reform strategies predominant in many other countries. In this regards, Finland and Singapore are the examples of the best education model that have developed from an out-of-the-way agricultural and industrial state in the 1950s for Finland and 1960s for Singapore to the models knowledge economy, by means of education as the key to economic and social change and development. Believing on data from international student assessments and earlier policy analysis, this article describes how balanced improvement in student learning has been attained through Finnish and Singaporean education policies based on equity, flexibility, creativity, innovative, teacher professionalism, effective policy making from the government side and the most importantly trustworthy. Contrasting to many other education systems, significant accountability conveyed by high-stakes testing and externally determined learning standards has not been part of Finnish and Singaporean education policies. The insight is that Finnish and Singaporean education policies intended to enhance student achievement have been built upon ideas of sustainable leadership that place strong importance on teaching and learning, smart accountability, encouraging schools to craft the best teaching and learning environments and bring into practice educational content that best helps to their students reach the apex goals of education.