[wmt]

From my experience in Finland kids very rarely have been taught to read before school, and typically just a few kids on a first grade can read. Of course, having phonetic language helps, as once you know all the letters you can correctly write almost any word hear.

The views of the value of studies also differ quite a lot, but luckily it's way more common for uneducated parents to value a better education for their kids than the way around. It of course helps that all studies are free and students in universities are actually paid to attend (though less than they would get for being unemployed).

What average uni students want to study actually does not affect the quality of teachers as much as you suggest. In 2014* a total of 1649 applicants took the entrance exam for becoming a class teacher in Helsinki University, and 146 were selected among them. I don't believe many of the 146 best applications would rather study engineering or biology.

http://www.studentum.fi/Kasvatustieteellisen_paeaesykoe__d62...