The Student Union of Tampere University is grateful for the opportunity to provide a statement to Tampere University’s prepared statement on a report on general upper secondary school diplomas. TREY’s statement concerns general upper secondary school diplomas, which are a way for an upper secondary student to demonstrate their special skills and interest on a long-term competence demonstration. When completing a general upper secondary school diploma, the student utilises and deepens the wide-ranging skills acquired in their upper secondary school studies and also evaluates their strengths from the perspective of postgraduate studies. General upper secondary school diplomas are hardly utilised as part of higher education student selection, although they could be evidence in addition to Matriculation Examinations.
The Student Union of Tampere University, later referred to as TREY, pays special attention in the report on the general upper secondary school diploma to the following issues:
- The competence produced by general upper secondary school diplomas should be recognized in suitable fields in higher education student selection
- The general upper secondary school diploma must be an equal and non-discriminating selection criterion for applicants in higher education
- Higher education institutions should be closely involved in the development of the assessment of general upper secondary school diplomas to make the assessment as fair and equitable as possible.
Next, TREY’s points to individual questions.
E) Chapter 6 deals with the usability of diplomas in higher education student selection. Do you think that the views expressed are relevant?
1) Are completely
If you want to, you can also verbally justify your view:
Based on the report on general upper secondary school diploma, TREY recognizes that the current student selection system does not sufficiently acknowledge the competence produced by the general upper secondary school diploma. The challenge puts applicants in an unequal position, as a general upper secondary school diploma also produces skills that can support an applicant’s studying at university. TREY therefore suggests that in fields where the competence produced by a general upper secondary school diploma is the same, the general upper secondary school diploma should be used as a student selection criterion. Of the current general upper secondary school diplomas, physical education, music, and theatre, for example, could be suitable selection criteria.
TREY emphasizes that student selection should measure the applicant’s suitability and motivation. In a suitable field, a general upper secondary school diploma is a recognition of an applicant’s competence and, as evidence, shows that the applicant is likely to succeed in their studies. We also point out that in the development of student selection, the success of upper secondary education should not be the primary selection pathway, in which case greater emphasis should be given to entrance exams.
TREY considers it important that the assessment of a general upper secondary school diploma is carried out fairly and equitably so that it can be used as a student selection criterion. In developing the assessment, the special features of the subject should be considered as equitably as possible. TREY hopes that a national assessment network will be set up for the fair assessment of general upper secondary school diplomas. We welcome the fact that higher education institutions would be closely involved in the development of assessment, as that would promote the use of general upper secondary school diplomas in student selection as well.
TREY is concerned that a general upper secondary school diploma may be a burdensome demonstration of their skills for a student. The upper secondary students are already under heavy pressure during their studies. In Lukiolaisbarometri (upper secondary student barometer) 2019, 40 per cent of the upper secondary students found their own studies psychologically stressful. Coping was also one of the reasons for the studies slowing down for more than a third of students. TREY fears that the pressures of upper secondary students will increase.
TREY welcomes the fact that the report proposes new general upper secondary school diplomas in the fields of technology, home economics and entrepreneurship. The new general upper secondary school diplomas could well respond to the fields of study of higher education and support the transition to higher education more extensively than matriculation exams. TREY is in favour of these new general upper secondary school diplomas being voluntary. From the point of view of accessibility, it would be good if the regional coverage were sufficient so that as many upper secondary students as possible could also take a new type of general upper secondary school diploma.
G) Chapter 8 presented the assessment group’s conclusions and recommendations. In the following parts, we ask you to comment on the conclusions and recommendations of the assessment group.
1.1. The general upper secondary school diploma system should be further developed and deepened, and it should be more strongly connected to upper secondary school education. What do you think of the proposed measure?
2) Somewhat agree
If you want to, you can also verbally justify your view:
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1.2. The appropriate authority to lead and coordinate this work would be the Finnish National Agency for Education, which has been responsible for the development of general upper secondary school diplomas throughout their existence. What do you think of the proposed measure?
1) Agree completely
If you want to, you can also verbally justify your view:
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2. In the art and physical education defined in the National core curriculum for general upper secondary schools (published by the Finnish National Agency for Education, Regulations and guidelines 2019:2a) document, the completion of general upper secondary school diplomas would be made compulsory for all providers of upper secondary education. This change would therefore affect general upper secondary school diplomas in visual arts, physical education, and music. This creates a need for change in the Act on General Upper Secondary Education. What do you think of the proposed measure?
1) Agree completely
If you want to, you can also verbally justify your view:
TREY considers the proposal to be good, so that the completion of a general upper secondary school diploma is as achievable as possible for upper secondary students. TREY supports the idea that general upper secondary school diplomas other than visual arts, physical education and music are voluntary.
3. In general upper secondary school diplomas other than visual arts, physical education, and music, providing the diplomas should remain voluntary. What do you think of the proposed measure?
1) Agree completely
If you want to, you can also verbally justify your view:
See previous.
4. This change described above would be supported by establishing a national structure on the developer upper secondary schools network defined in the Decree on General Upper Secondary Education. Of the current developer upper secondary schools, two focus on visual arts, two on physical education, and three on music. What do you think of the proposed measure?
3) Neither agree nor disagree
If you want to, you can also verbally justify your view:
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5. A developer network of upper secondary schools for general upper secondary school diplomas in visual arts, physical education, and music, with the support of the special task upper secondary schools network and in cooperation with the Finnish National Agency for Education, would write pedagogical solutions that would genuinely enable the completion of general upper secondary school diplomas in every upper secondary school in the country. This pedagogical solution would include the so-called implementation of basic courses and general upper secondary school diploma courses. This structure would be created through remote and/or online/virtual learning. What do you think of the proposed measure?
3) Neither agree nor disagree
If you want to, you can also verbally justify your view:
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6. A completed general upper secondary school diploma could replace one of the five exams of the Finnish Matriculation Examination. In that case, the candidate for the Matriculation Examination would take their mother tongue exam, as well as three exams from a group that includes mathematics, second national language, foreign language, and humanities and natural sciences, and a general upper secondary school diploma. What do you think of the proposed measure?
1) Agree completely
If you want to, you can also verbally justify your view:
TREY considers the proposal to be good, because a general upper secondary school diploma is a demanding demonstration of skills for a student. The proposal would put the competence produced by a general upper secondary school diploma on the same level as the Matriculation Examinations. If students were able to replace one Matriculation Examination exam with a general upper secondary school diploma, the workload of students would remain reasonable.
7. There would be an entry on the matriculation certificate stating that the candidate has replaced one required matriculate exams with a general upper secondary school diploma. A separate certificate will be given of a general upper secondary school diploma. The certificate is issued by the candidate’s own upper secondary school. In the future, therefore, the completion of a general upper secondary school diploma would be the appendix to the matriculation certificate, and not the appendix to the general upper secondary school certificate. What do you think of the proposed measure?
1) Agree completely
If you want to, you can also verbally justify your view:
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8. Bringing general upper secondary school diplomas into the Finnish Matriculation Examination requires a strong development of the assessment of general upper secondary school diplomas. The proposed changes require the creation of a national model for the assessment of general upper secondary school diplomas. This assessment development work must be carried out under the direction of the Finnish National Agency for Education in cooperation with the Matriculation Examination Board, higher education institutes and developer upper secondary schools. We propose that the educational institution’s external evaluator of the general upper secondary school diplomas be determined through the national assessment network to be established. What do you think of the proposed measure?
1) Agree completely
If you want to, you can also verbally justify your view:
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9. Higher education institutions must be provided with more information about the entire general upper secondary school diploma system. In the future, the views and needs of higher education institutions should be heard more in the development of upper secondary school diplomas, so that higher education institutions can make better use of upper secondary school diplomas in the future. What do you think of the proposed measure?
1) Agree completely
If you want to, you can also verbally justify your view:
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10. The proposed measures presented in this report create the conditions for better utilization of general upper secondary school diplomas in the student selection of higher education institutions. What do you think of the proposed measure?
1) Agree completely
If you want to, you can also verbally justify your view:
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11. The general upper secondary school diploma in home economics will be replaced by the general upper secondary school diploma in entrepreneurship and working life competence. What do you think of the proposed measure?
2) Somewhat agree
If you want to, you can also verbally justify your view:
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12. The general upper secondary school diploma in home economics is transforming and renewing into a diploma in technology. What do you think of the proposed measure?
2) Somewhat agree
If you want to, you can also verbally justify your view:
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13. Development work of the general upper secondary school diplomas in entrepreneurship and working life competence, and technology, will be given to the Finnish National Agency for Education and the developer upper secondary schools responsible for the development in the field. What do you think of the proposed measure?
2) Somewhat agree
If you want to, you can also verbally justify your view:
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14. General upper secondary school diplomas are kept in those subjects/subject groups where the matriculation exam in its current form cannot serve as evidence of competence. Thus, the general upper secondary school diploma as evidence does not extend to subjects where matriculation exams are held in their current form. What do you think of the proposed measure?
1) Agree completely
If you want to, you can also verbally justify your view:
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Signatures
Iiris Taubert Venla Monter
Chair of the Executive Board Secretary General
Additional information: Jenny Vaara, Specialist in Educational Affairs of the Student Union of Tampere University, jenny.vaara@trey.fi, tel. +358 50 361 2847