<P> In Finland, vocational education belongs to secondary education . After the nine - year comprehensive school, almost all students choose to go to either a lukio (high school), which is an institution preparing students for tertiary education, or to a vocational school . Both forms of secondary education last three years, and give a formal qualification to enter university or ammattikorkeakoulu, i.e., Finnish polytechnics . In certain fields (e.g., the police school, air traffic control personnel training), the entrance requirements of vocational schools include completion of the lukio, thus causing the students to complete their secondary education twice . </P> <P> The education in vocational school is free, and students from low - income families are eligible for a state student grant . The curriculum is primarily vocational, and the academic part of the curriculum is adapted to the needs of a given course . The vocational schools are mostly maintained by municipalities . </P> <P> After completing secondary education, one can enter higher vocational schools (ammattikorkeakoulu, or AMK) or universities . </P> <P> It is also possible for a student to choose both lukio and vocational schooling . The education in such cases lasts usually from three to four years . </P>

Need of vocational training in today’s education system