Procedure for completing basic school in Estonia changes: SAIS system ready, schedule to become more flexible
Estonia's Minister of Education announced changes to the basic school graduation and gymnasium admission process, including legal amendments to school preference lists and the introduction of a new information system.
Estonian Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas (Eesti 200), together with school directors, discussed in a Vikerraadio broadcast recent Riigikogu amendments requiring schools to clearly define how preference indication affects admission. This responds to the Chancellor of Justice's note that children previously did not know how their choices could influence outcomes.
The SAIS information system, designed to simplify the admission process, is ready and has successfully passed load tests. However, a preference function still needs to be added, as approved by parliament. According to the minister, the platform will make waiting lists and admissions more transparent.
Kallas emphasized that assessing a student's potential should not focus solely on spring exams. Inspired by Finland, factors such as basic school certificates, interviews, and extra points for activities like sports or music should be considered. Exams will gradually become electronic and multi-level, allowing a more flexible schedule. Already next year, the Estonian as a second language exam will be multi-level with three tiers: B2, B1, and below B1.
School directors noted that stress affects boys and girls differently: diligent girls often perform worse than expected, while boys show the opposite tendency. Another issue is the high number of top scores—for example, about 250 students scored 100 points on the math exam, making selection difficult. The minister assured that there are enough study places; the tension arises from simultaneous applications and uncertainty.
