The Rationalities Behind Guidance and Counselling in Basic Finnish Education’s Core Curricula
By: Mira Kalalahti and Janne Varjo
References
- Ahola, S., & Mikkola, J. (2004). Opinto-ohjaus, muutos ja epävarmuus: Turun yläasteiden ja lukioiden opinto-ohjaajien näkemyksiä ohjauksesta ja oman työnsä lähtökohdista. [Guidance and counselling, change and uncertainty: Guidance counsellors’ perceptions on guidance and their work at lower secondary and general upper secondary schools in Turku.] University of Turku.
- Ahonen, S. (2001).
The end of common school? Change in the ethos and politics of education in Finland towards the end of the 1990’s . In S. Ahonen & J. Rantala (Eds.), Nordic lights. Education for nation and civic society in the Nordic countries 1850–2000 (pp. 175–203). Studia Fennica Historica 1. Finnish Literature Society. - Alasuutari, P. (1996). Toinen tasavalta: Suomi 1946–1994 [The Second Republic: Finland 1946–1994]. Vastapaino.
- Apple, M. (1979). Ideology and curriculum. Routledge & Kegan Paul. 10.4324/9780203241219
- Bengtsson, A. (2015). European career guidance policy: A focus on subtle regulatory mechanisms. Zeitschrift für Weiterbildungsforschung, 38(2), 241–250. 10.1007/s40955-015-0035-8
- Bergmo-Prvulovic, I. (2014). Is career guidance for the individual or for the market? Implications of EU policy for career guidance. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 33(3), 376–392. 10.1080/02601370.2014.891886
- Council of the European Union. (2008). Better integrating lifelong guidance into lifelong learning strategies. 15030/08. EDUC 257 SOC 653.
https://register.consilium.europa.eu/doc/srv?l=EN&f=ST%2015030%202008%20INIT - Dale, R., Kazepov, Y., Rinne, R., & Robertson, S. (2016).
Scales, discourses and institutions in the governance of educational trajectories in Europe . In A. Walther, M. Amaral, M. Cuconato, & R. Dale (Eds.), Governance of educational trajectories in Europe: Pathways, policy and practice (pp. 55–74). Bloomsbury. 10.5040/9781474287203.ch-003 - Dean, M. (1999). Governmentality. Power and rule in modern society. Sage.
- ELGPN (European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network). (2012). Lifelong guidance policy development: A European resource kit.
https://www.elgpn.eu/publications/browse-by-language/english/ELGPN_resource_kit_2011-12_web.pdf/ - Euroguidance. (2025). Guidance system in Finland.
https://euroguidance.eu/guidance-system-in-finland - FNAE (Finnish National Agency for Education). (2026). Guidance and counselling in basic education.
https://www.oph.fi/en/education-and-qualifications/guidance-and-counselling-basic-education - Foucault, M. (1991).
Governmentality . In G. Burchell, C. Gordon, & P. Miller (Eds.), The Foucault effect: Studies in governmentality (pp. 87–104). Chicago University Press. - Foucault, M. (1998).
Nietzsche, genealogy, history . In J. D. Faubion (Ed.), Aesthetics, method and epistemology. Essential works of Foucault 1954–1984 (Vol. II, pp. 369–392). The New Press. - Foucault, M. (1995). Discipline and punish: The birth of the prison (2nd ed.). Vintage Books.
- Foucault, M. (2002). Archaeology of knowledge (2nd ed.). Routledge.
- Furuhagen, B., Holmén, J., & Säntti, J. (2019). The ideal teacher: orientations of teacher education in Sweden and Finland after the Second World War. History of Education, 48(6), 784–805. 10.1080/0046760X.2019.1606945
- Harjula, S., & Kalalahti, M. (2024). Pastoral power manifestations within the guidance professionals’ talk on guidance practices. Nordic Journal of Studies in Educational Policy, 10(1), 14–26. 10.1080/20020317.2024.2304284
- Haug, E. H., Hooley, T., Kettunen, J., & Thomsen, R. (Eds.) (2020). Career guidance in the Nordic countries. Brill Sense. 10.1163/9789004428096
- Kalalahti, M., & Varjo, J. (2023).
Municipal Governance of Comprehensive Education: The emergence of local universalisms . In M. Thrupp, P. Seppänen, J. Kauko & S. Kosunen (Eds.), Finland’s Famous Education System: Unvarnished insights into Finnish schooling (pp. 19–34). Springer. 10.1007/978-981-19-8241-5_2 - KH (Kouluhallitus). (1985). Peruskoulun opetussuunnitelman perusteet 1985 [National core curriculum for comprehensive school 1985]. Valtion painatuskeskus.
- Kinnari, H. (2020). Elinikäinen oppiminen ihmistä määrittämässä: Genealoginen analyysi EU:n, OECD:n ja Unescon politiikasta [Lifelong learning defining the conception of human. Genealogical analysis of the policies of EU, OECD, and UNESCO]. Suomen kasvatustieteellinen seura.
- Kjærgård, R. (2020).
Career guidance and the production of subjectivity . In E. H. Haug, T. Hooley, J. Kettunen, & R. Thomsen (Eds.), Career and career guidance in the Nordic countries (pp. 81–92). Brill|Sense.https://brill.com/view/book/edcoll/9789004428096/BP000014.xml - KM (Komiteamietintö). (1970a). Peruskoulun opetussuunnitelmakomitean mietintö I. Opetussuunnitelman perusteet [Memorandum of Curriculum Committee for Comprehensive School, part I]. Komiteanmietintö 1970: A4.
- KM (Komiteamietintö). (1970b). Peruskoulun opetussuunnitelmakomitean mietintö II. Oppiaineiden opetussuunnitelmat [Memorandum of Curriculum Committee for Comprehensive School, part II]. Komiteanmietintö 1970: A5.
- Kutsyuruba, B. (2017).
Using document analysis methodology to explore educational reforms and policy changes in post-Soviet Ukraine . In I. Silova, N. Sobe, A. Korzh, & S. Kovalchuk (Eds.), Reimagining utopias – theory and method for educational research in post-socialist contexts (pp. 199–214). Sense Publishers. 10.1007/978-94-6351-011-0_12 - Lairio, M., Puukari, S., & Varis, E. (1999).
Opinto-ohjaajan toimenkuva. [Guidance counsellor’s work description] . In M. Lairio & S. Puukari (Eds.), Opinto-ohjaajan toimenkuva muuttuvassa yhteiskunnassa (pp. 65–72). Jyväskylän yliopisto. - Lovén, A. (2003). The paradigm shift – rhetoric or reality? International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance, 3, 123–135. 10.1023/A:1024708123698
- Merimaa, E. (1992).
Työntiedosta ja ammatinvalinnasta opiskelun ohjaukseen. [From work knowledge and vocational choice to study guidance] . Kuvia suomalaisesta koulutuksesta. Koulu ja menneisyys: Suomen kouluhistoriallisen seuran juhlakirja 30, (pp. 108–120). Suomen kouluhistorallinen seura. - Miller, P., & Rose, N. (2008). Governing the present: Administering economic, social and personal life. Wiley.
- Nummenmaa, A. R. (1992).
Ohjaus menetelmänä ja toimintana. [Guidance as a method and as an action] . In M. Lairio (Ed.), Opinto-ohjaajan työ ja koulutus (pp. 6–16). Jyväskylän yliopisto. - Nykänen, S., & Vuorinen, R. (1991). Oppilaanohjaustyön kehittäminen. Oppilaanohjauksen kohde- ja teoriahistoriallinen analyysi Suomessa vuosina 1970-1990 [Developing school counsellor’s work and school counselling practices. Historical analysis of object and theory of school counselling in Finland in 1970–1990]. Jyväskylän ammatillinen opettajakorkeakoulu.
- OPH (Opetushallitus). (1994). Peruskoulun opetussuunnitelman perusteet 1994 [Framework curriculum for the comprehensive school 1994]. Opetushallitus.
- OPH (Opetushallitus). (2004). Perusopetuksen opetussuunnitelman perusteet 2004 [National core curriculum for basic education 2004]. Opetushallitus.
- OPH (Opetushallitus). (2014). Perusopetuksen opetussuunnitelman perusteet 2014 [National core curriculum for basic education 2014]. Opetushallitus.
https://www.oph.fi/sites/default/files/documents/perusopetuksen_opetussuunnitelman_perusteet_2014.pdf - Patton, W., & McMahon, M. (2006). Career development and systems theory. Connecting theory and practice (2nd ed.). Sense. 10.1163/9789087903343
- Peavy, V. (1996). Constructivist career counselling and assessment. Guidance & Counseling, 11(3), 8–14.
- Roberts, K. (2013). Career guidance in England today: Reform, accidental injury or attempted murder? British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 41(3), 240–253. 10.1080/03069885.2013.773962
- Rose, N. (1999). Powers of freedom. Reframing political thought. Cambridge University Press. 10.1017/CBO9780511488856.003
- Savickas, M. L. (1993). Career counseling in the postmodern era. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy: An International Quarterly, 7(3), 205–215. 10.1891/0889-8391.7.3.205
- Simola, H. (2015). Finnish education mystery. Routledge. 10.4324/9780203068762
- Simola, H., Kauko, J., Varjo, J., Kalalahti, M., & Sahlström, F. (2017). Dynamics in education politics – Understanding and explaining the Finnish case. Routledge. 10.4324/9780203068793
- Sultana, R. G. (2014).
Career guidance for social justice in neoliberal times . In G. Arulmani, A. J. Baksi, F. Leong, & A. G. Watts (Eds.), Handbook of career development (pp. 317–333). Springer. 10.1007/978-1-4614-9460-7_18 - Varjo, J., Kalalahti, M., & Hooley, T. (2022). Actantial construction of career guidance in Parliament of Finland’s education policy debates 1967–2020. Journal of Education Policy, 37(6), 1009–1027. 10.1080/01442872.2025.2469875
- Varjo, J., Kalalahti, M., & Silvonen, J. (2020). Mihin oppilaita ohjataan? Opinto-ohjauksen rationaliteetit peruskoulun opetussuunnitelmien perusteissa [Where are pupils guided for? The rationalities of guidance in national core curricula]. Kasvatus & Aika, 14(4), 4–20. 10.33350/ka.91517
- Vuorinen, R., & Sampson, J. P. (2002).
Ohjaus opintojen suunnittelun ja arvioinnin tukena [Guidance supporting study planning and evaluation] . In J. Onnismaa, H. Pasanen, & T. Spangar (Eds.), Ohjaus ammatina ja tieteenalana 2: Ohjauksen toimintakentät (pp. 46–69). PS-kustannus. - Watts, A. G. (2002).
Socio-political ideologies in guidance . In A. G. Watts, B. Law, J. Killeen, K. M. Kidd, & R. Hawthorn (Eds.), Rethinking careers education and guidance: Theory, policy and practice (pp. 351–365). Routledge. - Watts, A. G. (2013). False dawns, bleak sunset: The coalition government’s policies on career guidance. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 41(4), 442–453. 10.1080/03069885.2012.744956
- Watts, A. G., Sultana, R. G., & McCarthy, J. (2010). The involvement of the European Union in career guidance policy: A brief history. International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance, 10(2), 89–107. 10.1007/s10775-010-9177-9
DOI: https://doi.org/10.16993/njtcg.104 | Journal eISSN: 2003-8046
Language: English
Page range: 14 - 27
Submitted on: Mar 15, 2025
Accepted on: Mar 20, 2026
Published on: May 15, 2026
Published by: Stockholm University Press
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Keywords:
© 2026 Mira Kalalahti, Janne Varjo, published by Stockholm University Press
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.