On the constitutional legal consolidation of the principles of egalitarian education in Russia and Finland

Abstract

This article carries out a comparative legal analysis of the constitutional legal consolidation of the principles of egalitarian education in Russia and Finland. The majority of national education systems represent the so-called hybrid systems, in which egalitarian foundations coexist with certainty elitist elements. First and foremost, it is associated with the need to ensure practical orientation of education for maintaining competitiveness of the countries that are capable of inventing innovative technologies. The achievement of humanistic goals of education remains important. Articulating the problem of whether to allocate budgetary funds to support students with outstanding talent, or rather support those experiencing difficulties with access to education. The object of this research is the legal relations in the area of exercising the right to basic public education. The author’s special contribution consists in articulation of the problem of clarifying the social effectiveness of egalitarian and elitist models of education on the example of legislation of Russia and Finland. Leaning on the conceptual and international legal principles of equality in education, a comparative legal analysis is conducted on the constitutional legal consolidation of equal opportunities in receiving basic public education in Russia and Finland. It is noted that the differences in the structure of education system, mostly egalitarian in Finland and rather elitist in Russia, depend not only on the availability of resources, but also on the political choice of the past, present and oriented towards the future.