Evaluation of education in the ECEC sector

Updated on 06 September 2022

The National Education Evaluation Centre is conducting an evaluation in the early childhood education and care in 2022–2023. This evaluation is part of the National Plan for Education Evaluation for 2020–2023.

The National Plan for Education Evaluation defines the objectives of this evaluation as follows:

“The evaluation of education in the early childhood education and care sector is timely as major changes have occurred in the steering system. The evaluation will produce information about development needs in the contents of education and training providing eligibility for teaching, management, education and care positions in ECEC. The evaluation also investigates whether the quality of the education for early childhood education and care instructors and other personnel is consistent at the regional level.”

Project plan

Evaluation team

An evaluation team has been appointed for the project. The members of the evaluation team are:

• Kirsti Karila, Professor Emerita, University of Tampere (Chair)
• Susanne Davidsson, Lecturer, Novia University of Applied Sciences
• Paula Helakari, Teacher, Educational Consortium OSAO
• Emma Holsti, Advocacy Coordinator, Finnish national union for students OSKU
• Riitta Keloneva, Director of Early Childhood Education and Care, City of Tornio
• Kai Kytölaakso, Director of Early Childhood Education and Care, City of Kokkola
• Lauri Malkamäki, teacher student in early childhood education and care, Teacher Student Union of Finland SOOL
• Krister Rantala, Head of Education, Turku Christian Institute
• Meeri Rusi, Principal Lecturer, Turku University of Applied Sciences
• Satu Valkonen, University Lecturer, University of Helsinki

Hearing with stakeholders, authorities and educational organisations

FINEEC organised an extensive consultation of key stakeholders in summer 2022. The topics covered at the consultations included topical evaluation questions and key respondents from whom information should be collected. In September, FINEEC will consult educational organisations. The contents of the consultations will be used for defining the main themes of the evaluation. The final evaluation questions will be decided together with the evaluation team.

Data collection for the evaluation and the evaluation timetable

The methods and schedule of data collection will be planned in autumn 2022. According to a preliminary plan, the data collection will mainly take place in 2023. We will inform the contact persons of the evaluation directly about the data collection. We will also provide information on the data collection on this website.

Events and materials

Consultation of VET providers at an invitation webinar on 1 September 2022 from 8:00 to 10:00

Slides from an information session on the evaluation held on 22 August 2022:

Upcoming events

Past events

• Consultation event for VET providers at an invitation webinar on 1 September 2022 from 8:00 to 10:00
• Information event on the evaluation for the contact persons of education programmes in ECEC on Monday, 22 August 2022 from 14:00 to 15:30