Republic of Estonia Education Act

Coverage: Eligible groups or beneficiaries

All resident children of compulsory school age.

Age range

7 - 17

Duration (numbers of years of compulsory education stipulated by this document)

9

ISCED levels included in compulsory education

ISCED levels 1-2

Dedication (number of hours per week stipulated by this document)

One study week includes 5 study days. The maximum number of lessons per week varies from 20 (grade 1) to 34 (grade 9). The duration of a lessons is 45 minutes

Is educational tracking implemented or modified by this document?

No

Education and training required for a compulsory school teacher stipulated by this document

Teacher training is provided in universities and university colleges. Teachers must undergo at least 160 hours of in-service training in 5 years. After working for a minimum of 3 years, teachers can apply for a higher level occupational grade (there are 4 occupational grades altogether)

Is the compulsory education of children of undocumented migrants granted by this document?

Education Act (§ 36): children of resident foreign citizens or stateless people who are residents of Estonia must fulfil the requirement of compulsory school attendance, except the children of official representatives of foreign countries or international

Original name of the legal document/act (native language)

Eesti Vabariigi haridusseadus

Date of passage/approval

23^rd March 1992

Date of signature

23^rd March 1992

Date of publication

10^th April 1992

Are the effects retroactive?

No

Date of effect

30^th March 1992

Actors

At the level of legislative and administrative power, the Riigikogu (Parliament), the Government of the Republic of Estonia, and the Ministry of Education and Research administer the education system. County and local governments and educational institutions have their specific roles in administering the education system.

Financing

According to the Republic of Estonia Education Act, education is free of charge in state and local government general education schools. According to the Basic Schools and Upper Secondary Schools Act, the school’s operating costs will be covered by the school manager (in most cases, local governments). Municipal schools are eligible for the state subsidy to be used for covering expenses for teachers’ salaries, social taxes, training, and textbooks. Similar subsidies are also made available to private general education schools.

Earlier related reforms

The Education Act, approved by the Supreme Soviet of the Estonian SSR in 1986 (Eesti NSV Teataja 1986, 20, 261) stated that students are subject to attend school until they graduate from an educational institution granting upper secondary education or attain 18 years of age. The lower limit of compulsory school age was set at six years of age. From 1 June 1988, the duration of (upper) secondary education was set to 12 years in Estonia. From September 1989, six-year-olds were admitted to first grade of school only based on the request of their parents, provided that a child was considered mature for school. The standard lower age limit is set again to seven years of age.

Other related legislation

Constitution of the Republic of Estonia (passed by a referendum held 28 June 1992) (RT 1992, 26, 349) (https://www.riigiteataja.ee/akt/127042011002 http://www.riigiteataja.ee/en/eli/530102013003/consolide); Basic Schools and Upper Secondary Schools Act, 1993 (RT I 1993, 63, 892); Basic Schools and Upper Secondary Schools Act, 2010 (RT I 2010, 41, 240) (http://www.riigiteataja.ee/akt/115032014037107, http://www.riigiteataja.ee/en/eli/525062014005/consolide); Private Schools Act, 1998 (RT I 1998, 57, 859) (http://www.riigiteataja.ee/akt/129062014021, http://www.riigiteataja.ee/en/eli/530062014001/consolide); framework requirements for teacher training, 2000 (RT I 2000, 87, 575) (https://www.riigiteataja.ee/akt/128082013002); national curriculum for basic schools, 2011 (RT I, 14.01.2011, 1) (https://www.riigiteataja.ee/akt/129082014020).

Original full text source in native language

Riigi Teataja (State Gazette) RT 1992, 12, 192 (last amendments Riigi Teataja RT I, 20.06.2014,5)

Original full text web source in native language

https://www.riigiteataja.ee/akt/120062014005

The Republic of Estonia Education Act is the main legislative act in the field of education adopted (30 February 1992) after the restoration of Estonia’s independence in 1991. Since the date of passage, the act has been repeatedly amended in order to bring the Education Act into accord with various changes in legal acts. In 2014, an expert group was set up in order to begin preparations for the major revision of the Education Act.

Secondary literature

- OECD. "Reviews of national policies for education: Estonia". OECD, Paris, 2001.
- OECD. "Education at a glance: OECD education indicators 2013. Estonia. Country note". OECD, Paris, 2013. Available at: http://www.oecd.org/edu/Estonia_EAG2013 Country Note.pdf.
- UNESCO. "World Data on Education". 7th Edition 2010/2011, Paris, 2011. Available at: http://www.ibe.unesco.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Publications/WDE/2010/pdf-versions/Estonia.pdf
- Nagel, V. "Hariduspoliitika ja üldhariduskorraldus Eestis aastatel 1940-1991" [Die Bildungspolitik und das Allgemeinbildungswesen in Estland in den jahren 1940–1991]. Dissertations in Social Sciences 22, Tallinn University, Tallin, 2006.
- Saar, E. "The Estonian educational system and the ISCED-97". In Schneider, S.L. "The International Standard Classification of Education. An Evaluation on Content and Criterion Validity for 15 European Countries". MZES, Mannheim (2008): 236-252.
- Toots, A., & Lauri, T. "Education". In Heidmets, M. "Estonian Human Development Report 2012/2013. Estonia in the World". Eesti Koostöö Kogu, Tallinn (2013): 30-40. Available at: http://www.kogu.ee/the-estonian-human-development-report-2012-2013

Links to databases and sources for the analysis or evaluation of this policy field

Statistics Estonia (2014). Statistical database. Education: http://www.pub.stat.ee/px-web.2001/I_Databas/Social_Life/02EDUCATION/02EDUCATION.asp; ENIC/NARIC, the Estonian Academic Recognition Information Centre: http://www.archimedes.ee/enic -information on the Estonian education system; EHIS, the Estonian Education Information System–School-level data (in Estonian): http://www.ehis.ee; Centre for Educational Research and Curriculum Development. University of Tartu: http://www.ut.ee/curriculum/index.aw/set_lang_id=1; EURYDICE, the Information Network on National Education Systems and Policies in Europe: http://www.eacea.ec.europa.eu/education/eurydice/index_en.php; UNESCO, the International Bureau of Education: http://www.ibe.unesco.org/links.htm.