Over a decade ago the Finnish government ratified a law: health education was to be included as an independent and obligatory school subject into Finnish basic education and upper secondary education (Hallituksen esitys 142/2000, Valtioneuvoston asetus 1435/2001). The subject health education is based on multidisciplinary foundation having aspects of health sciences, sociology, psychology and education. In the national core curriculum for basic education it is stated that the aim of the subject is to “promote pupils’ competence regarding health, wellbeing, and safety”, and “the task of the instruction is to develop pupils’ cognitive, social, functional, and ethical capabilities, and their capabilities for regulating emotions” (Finnish National Board of Education, 2004, p. 196). The objective is to develop health literacy among the pupils. The various content areas of health education have their foundation in pupils’ growth development, the human lifespan, and pupils’ daily living. The different health topics are divided into four main themes: growth and development, health in choices in daily living, resources and coping skills, and health, society and­ culture.

The Finnish National Board of Education has assessed learning outcomes in basic education since the year 1998. These assessments form a part of the national assessment on education and they are based on the education assessment plan prepared by the Ministry of Education and Culture (Opetus- ja kulttuuriministeriö 2012). The Finnish National Board of Education assessed health education learning outcomes in basic education during the spring of 2013, and it focused on 9^th graders’ learning at the end of their last semester in basic education. The aim of such an assessment is to monitor how well pupils have reached the objectives that have been stated for health education learning in the national core curriculum.

This presentation will describe the main findings of the learning outcomes assessment. The following research questions are posed:

1. How did the 9th graders’ perform in the health education learning outcomes assessment?
2. Did the pupils reach the objectives stated in the national curriculum on health education?
3. What is the effect of different background factors in the health education learning outcomes (e.g.. gender, language of instruction (Finnish/Swedish), geographical location, parents’ educational background, and plans for future studies)?
4. How useful do the pupils rate health education as a subject, do they like it and how do they consider themselves as learners?

Finnish National Board of Education (2004). National core curriculum for basic education 2004. Helsinki: Finnish National Board of Education. Hallituksen esitys Eduskunnalle laeiksi perusopetuslain 11 §:n, lukiolain 7 §:n ja ammatillisesta koulutuksesta annetun lain 12 ja 17 §:n muuttamisesta 142/2000. Opetus- ja kulttuuriministeriö 2012. Koulutuksen arviointisuunnitelma vuosille 2012–2015. Opetus- ja kulttuuriministeriön julkaisuja 2012: 14. Helsinki: Kopijyvä Oy. Valtioneuvoston asetus perusopetuslaissa tarkoitetun opetuksen valtakunnallisista tavoitteista ja perusopetuksen tuntijaosta 1435/2001.