The Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture on Friday launched a reform program on basic education aimed to improve students' learning initiatives, the ministry said in a press release.

In connection with the results of the programme for international student assessment (PISA) in 2012, the Ministry released a reform project on basic education named "Future Basic School -- New Growth."

To implement the program, the ministry set two working groups, aiming at improving the present situation of basic education from two aspects. The first is called "Ability and Learning in Society", the other is "Motivation of Study, School Satisfaction and Teaching Methods."

The project also includes reforms on training for teachers and other educators, ensuring educators' knowledge, skill and expertise.

The ministry set up a steering group led by the Minister of Education Krista Kiuru to coordinate between the two working groups and to direct the implementation of the program.

Kiuru indicated that the implementation of the program would be as open as possible and multiparty interaction would be sought. The results of the program will be widely applied in reforms on basic schools around Finland in the future, she added. Endi