TRAINING FOR LIBERAL EDUCATION
Free educational work is a form of education in the Finnish education system, regulated by the Act on Free Educational Work (632/1998). Free educational work education is offered by community colleges, folk high schools, summer universities, physical education training centres (sports colleges) and study centres, each of which has its own educational tasks defined in law. The organisation of free educational work education is based on a permit to maintain an educational institution granted by the Ministry of Education and Culture.
Sports colleges' liberal arts education
The education offered as voluntary educational work in sports institutes must correspond to the purpose and objectives (Section 1) and the activities covered by the Act on Voluntary Educational Work (632/1998) (Section 2). According to the instructions of the Ministry of Education and Culture, the task of physical education training centres is to organize:
- Education that promotes physical activity, well-being and health: liberal arts education that promotes physical activity offered to the entire population. Participants can be children, young people, people of working age or the elderly. Family courses are also education that promotes physical activity.
- Coach and instructor training: non-degree training intended for instructors and coaches of sports clubs and national and regional sports organizations.
- Education that supports top-level sports: top-level sports training, which can also be cooperative camps between clubs or sports federations. Top-level sports training is characterized by goal-orientedness and coaching.
- Other training that promotes NGO activities: training activities offered, for example, to elected officials of association boards and other similar bodies and other volunteers. In addition, e.g. club development training, referee and trustee training or other supplementary training in association activities.
Quality and tracking
Planning of teaching is central to the development of sports institutes. The training centres have their own action plan and a common curriculum for liberal arts education, the aim of which is to standardise and improve the quality of education. The training provider decides on the provision and quantity of teaching in accordance with the principles of the curriculum.
According to the Act on Liberal Educational Work, educational institutions must evaluate their education and participate in external evaluation. The aim of the evaluation is to develop operations and learning conditions, and to identify strengths and areas for development. Evaluation supports high-quality decision-making and the development of operations.
The Ministry of Education and Culture annually monitors student days and education content and may conduct other assessments.
