The Estonian Lifelong Learning Strategy 2020 sees learning as a lifestyle. It is necessary to notice development opportunities and search for intelligent solutions. The learning process itself is based on values like:
Responsibility – people are aware that learning and self-development are their own conscious personal choices as well as responsibility.
Necessity – the learning process is guided by the individual’s personal interests and abilities and supports their development, whilst keeping in mind the requirements of the labour market.
Opportunities – a system of lifelong learning offers high quality, contemporary and flexible learning opportunities that are tailored for individual needs.
Lifelong learning begins with general education. There is a common system applied for general education in Estonia. In practical terms, this means that a common curriculum is taught in all levels of education, regardless of the language of study. The length of the study period consists of at least 175 teaching days (35 weeks) and four intervals of school breaks.
All municipal schools have designated service areas, meaning that the schools must ensure vacancies for all school-aged children living in their designated area. Parents can influence the school’s development through school board.General education is divided to pre-school, basic and upper-secondary education.
Pre-school education is delivered to children between the ages of 18 months to seven years in especially dedicated educational institutions. The main aim of the early stages education is to support the child’s family through fostering the child’s growth and development by taking into account their individuality. Facilities for the pre-school education are provided by the local authorities at the request of parents. Pre-school children’s institutions follow state curricula that is specifically formulated for the purpose. Children who have passed the pre-school curriculum will be issued a certificate that records the child’s development. The parents will submit this certificate to the school where the child will be enrolled.
Basic education serves as the mandatory minimum of general education requirement, which can be acquired either partially in primary schools (grades 1 to 6), basic schools (grades 1 to 9) or upper secondary schools that also teach basic school curricula.
The basic school is divided into three stages:
stage I – grades 1.-3.
stage II – grades 4.-6.
stage III – grades 7.-9.
Basic education is made available through two national curricula:
national curriculum of basic school;
simplified curriculum for basic school.
Graduating the basic school requires that the student learns the curriculum at least a satisfactory level together with passing three basic school graduation exams consisting of the Estonian language or Estonian as a second language, mathematics and an exam on a subject of the student’s choice as well as completing a creative assignment.
Following graduation from basic school, there are a number of possibilities for continuation of the educational path. There is a possibility to acquire general secondary education at upper secondary school, vocational secondary education at some vocational education institution or simply an occupation.
General secondary education is acquired at the upper secondary school level. Upper secondary schools are designed to help students become creative, multi-talented, socially mature and reliable citizens who have discovered a field of endeavour that is best suited to their individual interests and capacities for continuing their future educational path. The study programme at upper secondary school is arranged into mandatory and voluntary courses. Graduation from upper secondary school requires the student to complete a curriculum consisting of at least 96 individual courses passed at a satisfactory level as a minimum, passing the state exams consisting of the Estonian language or Estonian as a second language, mathematics and a foreign language exam, passing the upper secondary school exam as well as completing a student research paper or practical work during the entire study period.
Attaining general secondary education entitles students to continue their studies at a higher educational institution or to obtain vocational education.
Financing
According to the Basic Schools and Upper Secondary Schools Act the school’s running costs will be covered by the school manager. In most cases, this means local governments. Local governments are authorised to establish, re-arrange and close general education schools. Local governments keep account of the number of compulsory attending children, ensure school attendance control, make arrangements for school transport and the provision of school meals and perform a number of related functions.
The number of the students in municipal schools will be used to calculate the amount of state subsidies allocated from the state budget to municipalites. The state subsidy is used for covering expenses on teachers’ salaries, social taxes, training and textbooks. Similar subsidies are also made available to private general education schools as prescribed by the Private Schools Act. In doing so, the state will refrain from prescribing guidelines as to the use of the funds allocated. The local government reserves the obligation and right to finance schools based on their actual needs.
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