2. Introduction
Finland is a republic. Finland´s capital is
Helsinki, which lies in southern Finland. Finland
became independent on 6th December 1917.
Finnish and Swedish are Finland`s official
languages. Finland`s area is 338 500km.
75% of Finland`s area is covered by forest.
There are thousands of lakes in Finland.
Finland`s currency is euro. Finland has
belonged to European Union from the year
1995. Finland`s president is Tarja Halonen.

5. KALLAVESI LOWER
SECONDARY SCHOOL
 Kallavesi lower secondary school lies at Petonen in Kuopio.
Petonen lies in southern Kuopio, and there live about 20 000
people.

There are grades from six to nine. We have 622 pupils in our
school and 61 teachers, and we have also other staff. In
Kallavesi school you can study many languages, for example:
French, German, Spanish and Russian. If you are specially
interested in music or mathematics and natural sciences you
can try to get in music or maths and science oriented class.
 Kallavesi school started at Petonen in the year 1994. Before
that the school was situated in the centre of Kuopio. In school
year 2010-2011 Kallavesi school`s head teacher is Jussi
Löppönen and assistant head (teacher) Jaana Vuorinen.

6. Finland’s educational
system
 There is compulsory education in
Finland. It starts when student turns
seven years, and usually ends when
he/she turns sixteen. Required grades
are grades from one to nine. There is
a free meal to each student every day
in every school. There are no school
uniforms. Basic education is free.

7. Primary school
 There are grades 1 to 6 in the primary school.
There you study Finnish, Maths, Biology,
Geography, PE, Religion, Music, Arts and Crafts.
English or some other foreign language starts at
the third grade and Chemistry, Physics and
History starts the fifth grade.

8. Lower secondary school
 There are grades 7 to 9 in the lower
secondary school. New subjects are
Swedish, Home economics. At eight and
ninth grades you choose three long and
one short electives which are German,
Russian, Spanish, French, Arts, Music,
Home economic, Crafts, IT, and PE. Arts ,
Home economics, Music and Crafts if you
don’t choose them.

9. Further studies
 After basics education you can go to upper
secondary school or vocational school but
they’re not obligatory. Upper secondary school
takes 3-4 years and vocational school takes 3
years. After them you can go, for example, to
University or to Polytechnic.

10. Thank you for your
attention!
BIF
Novara, Italy
November 2010