Shared responsibility for teaching and learning characterises education in Finland; parents, students and teachers alike prefer an approach that allows schools to keep the focus on learning and permits more freedom in curriculum planning than the external standardised testing culture prevailing in some other nations. While the National Curriculum Framework for Basic School and similar documents for upper secondary education provide guidance to teachers, curriculum planning is the responsibility of schools and municipalities. Local education authorities approve curricula for schools, but teachers and school principals play a key role in curriculum design.