Teaching other classes besides languages in a foreign language began to gain ground particularly in Canada in the 1970s.
Finland’s first language immersion class began in Swedish in Vaasa in 1987.
The English-language International Baccalaureate programme began in Helsinki and in Espoo in 1990. Now there are 15 IB high schools in different parts of the country. The next one is planned for Lahti.
Different amounts of teaching in foreign languages is offered in an increasing number of schools. In 1999-2000, the Finnish National Board of Education collected information on schools that teach over half of their classes in English.
These schools had over 4,300 students receiving their education in English.
Counsellor of Education Heikki Blom from the Ministry of Education maintains that schools that teach according to the domestic curriculum in a foreign language cannot be called international schools.
On the other hand, the private International School of Helsinki as well as the German-language Deutsche Schule in Helsinki meet the requirements of international schools.
The English School in Helsinki also offers international degrees.
The IB high school diploma is considered equivalent to the Finnish matriculation exam, but the AICE diploma is not.
"We made that decision at the time. There is such a multitude of degrees in the world", Blom explains.
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 13.2.2005
