Have you ever heard of Finland? This Nordic country is famous for its stunning natural beauty, but did you know that it once faced a tough time with high suicide rates? Instead of giving up, Finland took a bold step by revolutionizing its education system.

In the past, Finland had alarmingly high suicide rates among its students, prompting the government to realize that the emphasis on academic achievement and competence was creating immense pressure on the students. This crisis led Finland to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of its education system.

One of the revolutionary steps taken by Finland was shifting the focus of education from merely chasing academic achievements to developing students’ characters. Emotional intelligence, social skills, and adaptability were deemed as important as intellectual intelligence. Students were taught values such as empathy, cooperation, and problem-solving skills.

The curriculum in Finland was designed to be enjoyable and relevant to students’ lives. Lessons were delivered interactively, engaging students actively. Students were also given the freedom to explore their interests and talents, making the learning process more meaningful and motivating.

In addition to focusing on character development, the teaching profession in Finland was highly valued and respected. The selection process for teachers was rigorous, and they received intensive training. Teachers were given autonomy to develop innovative teaching methods tailored to students’ needs. This made teachers feel appreciated and motivated to give their best for the students.

Instead of fostering cut-throat competition, Finland encouraged students and teachers to collaborate. Collaboration was seen as the key to success in facing real-world challenges. Finland was committed to providing equal access to education for all students, regardless of their socioeconomic background. Schools in Finland upheld inclusive success, allowing students with special needs to learn alongside their peers. With an inclusive learning environment, every student was supported to reach their maximum potential.

Meanwhile, in Indonesia, we still face various challenges in education, such as the disparity in education quality between urban and rural areas, low levels of literacy and numeracy, and the lack of teacher welfare assurance. Teachers seem to not have a proper place, where facilities, salaries, and benefits are not comprehensively addressed. Additionally, the lack of serious mentoring for teachers in enhancing dedication and innovative teaching makes teachers constantly struggle with the education system.

The success of Finland provides valuable lessons for Indonesia. We need to focus more on developing students’ characters, designing relevant curricula, improving teacher quality, promoting collaboration, and ensuring equal access to education.

The education transformation in Finland proves that with strong commitment and the right policies, we can create a quality education system that produces intelligent, creative, and character-rich young generations. It seems like Indonesia indeed needs to learn from Finland’s success and comprehensively reform its education system.