Reflections on an education policy paradox: how did social sector occupational groups get a dominant position in early education

Authors

• Eeva-Leena Onnismaa Helsingin yliopisto
• Marjatta Kalliala
• Leena Tahkokallio

Abstract

In the current situation when early childhood education and care (ECEC) is a part of the education system, more staff members than ever before have a social and health sector education while less than 20% are kindergarten teachers. In this article, the development, which has led to the current situation called ‘the education policy paradox’, is examined from different perspectives. In the article the molding of staff structure and factors having influenced how it has taken shape are described from the 1970’s to 2010’s, focusing on those who work as kindergarten teachers at ECEC-centres. The course of changes is examined through official documents and literature. The framework of the study is the tense relations between, on the one hand, social welfare administration and educational administration and, on the other hand, between universities and polytechnics in different phases of ECEC. The perspective of social welfare administration and the interests of trade unions appear to be emphasized in decision making concerning staff structure and the need of education of different occupational groups in ECEC settings. Due to the fact that ECEC was earlier under the administration of the Ministry of Social and Health Affairs and has only recently been transferred to the Ministry of Education and Culture, the need of kindergarten teachers was not estimated in the same way as that of other teachers. As a consequence of this the intake of Kindergarten teacher students in universities was too small for a long time. At the same time, polytechnics expanded heavily, resulting in an imbalance between university-trained kindergarten teachers and social pedagogues (polytechnic) working at ECEC-centres. The impact of certain influential nationwide action research projects on the formation of staff structure has also been analysed in the article.