[Ekaros]

Finland has generalist with special degrees doing Elementary school. After that the teachers have degree in subject or adjacent subject. Plus pedagogy. On other hand education is state paid so there isn't huge loans to pay off.

It did not do badly in past. But less resources and more non-natives have taken a toll on results.

[peterfirefly]

Mostly the "non-natives", as you so politely call them... and we are not really talking about Germans and Swedes...