Home > Statistics > Entrance to education > 2008 > Immediate continuation of studies was easier than in the previous year for completers of the 9th grade of comprehensive school in 2008 but more difficult for passers of the matriculation examination

Published: 9 December 2009

Immediate continuation of studies was easier than in the previous year for completers of the 9th grade of comprehensive school in 2008 but more difficult for passers of the matriculation examination

Completers of comprehensive school numbered 64,700, or five hundred fewer than one year earlier. One-half of them (59 per cent of women and 42 per cent of men) went on to study in upper secondary general school. Forty-two per cent (33 per cent of women and 50 per cent of men) went on to attend upper secondary level vocational education while two per cent went on to the 10th grade. Vocational education grew more popular while upper secondary general school education lost even more of its popularity compared to the year before. A total of 5.6 per cent of the completers of comprehensive school did not continue studying. The proportion of those who remained outside further studies diminished by one percentage point from the year before.

New passers of the matriculation examination numbered 32,900, which is 500 fewer than in the year before. Of the new passers of the matriculation examination 19 per cent entered university education, 18 per cent entered polytechnic education and 4 per cent entered upper secondary vocational education. The proportion of students who continued to university or polytechnic education decreased from the previous year. Good one-half, or 58 per cent, of the passers of the matriculation examination in 2008 did not continue studying in their year of graduation. The proportion of those who remained outside further studies has exceeded one-half in recent years, and now grew by 1.5 percentage points from the year before.

Direct transition to further studies of completers of the 9th grade of comprehensive school and passers of the matriculation examination 2000-2008

	Year of graduation
	2008		2007	2006	2005	2004	2003	2002	2001	2000
		%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Completers of 9th grade of comprehensive school	64.740	100,0	100,0	100,0	100,0	100,0	100,0	100,0	100,0	100,0
Continued studies in year of graduation
in upper secondary general education	32.743	50,6	50,8	51,1	53,2	54,1	55,1	54,8	54,2	53,7
in upper secondary vocational education	27.100	41,9	40,7	40,1	39,4	38,4	37,0	36,7	36,1	36,3
on 10th grade of comprehensive school	1.295	2,0	2,0	2,1	2,5	2,5	2,4	2,6	2,9	3,0
Did not continue studies	3.602	5,6	6,5	6,8	4,9	5,0	5,5	5,9	6,8	7,0
Completers of the matriculation examination	32.936	100,0	100,0	100,0	100,0	100,0	100,0	100,0	100,0	100,0
Continued studies in year of graduation
in upper secondary vocational education	1.396	4,2	4,2	4,2	4,4	4,0	4,0	4,0	4,1	4,6
in polytechnic education	6.087	18,5	19,0	17,4	18,2	17,0	15,2	16,0	11,7	12,2
in university education	6.287	19,1	20,1	20,5	19,5	19,2	19,0	19,4	19,4	19,0
Did not continue studies	19.166	58,2	56,6	57,9	57,9	59,8	61,8	60,6	64,8	64,3

Source: Education Statistics. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Ms Ritva Kaukonen +358 9 1734 3311, koulutustilastot@stat.fi

Director in charge: Mr Jari Tarkoma

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Last updated 9.12.2009