Matriculation examinations are, simply put, unfair and biased. The ways in which students are allowed to express themselves in the exams are slim to nonexistent. Students are deprived of almost all creativity, and not only that, but they are also forced to express their knowledge in one sitting. The fact that a matriculation examination only lasts six hours shows how students are forced to narrow their expressive capabilities. Six hours is not enough time to properly show mature and well-thought-out ideas. The matriculation examinations don’t grade students based on their merit and skills, it grades them based on their ability to produce answers that the censors (sensorit) are looking for. The process of producing answers and ideas has turned backwards.
The soaring number of students with mental health problems tell another side of the story. High school’s original purpose of general education has turned into a race of getting into higher education. This makes studying a competition, instead of self-improvement. I personally think this has a lot to do with the flashy and unhealthy hustling culture that has taken young minds and their social media platforms by storm. Not only is it unhealthy, but it also promotes highly hierarchical and oppressive working environments. Climbing the corporate ladder and achieving higher workplace status has become such a large social phenomenon that it directly impacts how students see their workplace as grounds for competition. Competing is not inherently bad, but we have to be careful with how competing is taught and what makes a competition. Are schools a place for competition? Right now, the upper secondary schools completely resemble competitions structurally, which in my opinion is a risky way to teach students what a workplace looks like and how to improve it. In reality, workplaces rely on collaboration and communication, so it’s counterintuitive to, sort of, prime students into a competitive state. Continuous conversation about increasing students’ mental health seems hypocritical considering the state of which the current education system is in, since it sets continuous stress and pressure on students to perform well against other students, which clearly does not affect their mental health positively.
“In the twentieth century, we maybe tried to change the world too quickly. The time is to interpret it again, and to start thinking.” – Slavoj Žižek
I think action needs to be taken. The education system needs to be changed badly, but I also think that we need to be especially careful on how we do that. I believe we need to look at the problem before we get rid of it, so, I present a three-part plan on how to improve the current education system.
Firstly, it’s critically important that we look at what is good about the things that we are looking to replace, for example, the matriculation examinations are a very effective way of grading students. An enormous number of students get graded in a simple and fast way. The biggest perk the matriculation examinations have going for them is the fact that they’re simple. One examination shows a student’s capabilities in a certain subject. So the danger in getting rid of the matriculation examinations is that we approach the risk of a convoluted and confusing grading system for students and teachers. The fact that all perks of a given system are removed once it’s gone, needs to be taken into account before anything can be changed.
Secondly, we need to open our eyes and ears to other possible ways. We need to take into consideration what the students think should be improved, and we need to look at how other countries have made their education systems more efficient. If we look too long at the problems ourselves, it becomes impossible to see how to solve them, so we need an outside perspective. Many students have a lot to say, but no way to say it, so a platform for students’ voices to be heard should be established. Also, hiring experts on other countries’ education systems gives invaluable insight on what problems we might be facing.
Lastly, new ideas need to be tested. We can’t immediately implement completely different course programs or education systems on a state level for a very simple and, in the scientific world, obvious reason; they might not work in practice. I think we should approach the problems with our education system from a scientific perspective, by establishing a test group and creating empirical data that can be used to improve the education system in general with low risk. We already have a huge control group that can be used, so it’s completely possible to find results with a test group that is granted the completion of secondary school (ylioppilastutkinto) and matriculation examination scores that equate to the scores given by the alternative system.
I’m of the opinion that changes in many other social structures, in addition to our education system, are in dire need. But I also believe that our education system is a very appropriate place to start, since a more open and adequate education system would give future generations more insight in and options on how to change the aforementioned social structures. I believe that a new, better education system can be achieved. It will need a huge amount of work and testing, but I believe, with the right people and enough adequate work, it is possible.
Text: Walter Wahlroos