Finland, in its national anthem says "We are a poor country, we have no gold, but the resource we have is our people, and we invest in our people. All individuals should receive training and education, to go as far as their ability allows. Every society must have the possibility of learning throughout life. Training a poor child, when he is young is not enough. They should study all they want.
If a country seeks inspiration to face two major problems, such as education of its people and the corruption of its officials, an appropriate place to visit should be Finland.
Finland is one of the most competitive in international statistics, alone with only five million inhabitants. Finnish President Tarja Halonen, reveals some key words: "strong investment in education" (6% of GDP in Finland, excluding research, transparency in government). "It is very important to have the courage to reserve the resources for basic education", she emphasizes.
Intelligent or educated people elect honest and competent leaders, they choose the best advisers, they dont allow corruption or incompetence, they really know the difference between a serious discourse and a demagogic preaching; an educated population also thrives in adverse conditions.
Ignorant people waste their resources and impoverish, they are fertile ground for demagoguery, and they live in illusions.
