Amendments in the Education Act of the Estonian SSR in relation to the reform of comprehensive and vocational schools

Coverage: Eligible groups or beneficiaries

All resident children of compulsory school age.

Age range

6 - 18

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

12

ISCED levels included in compulsory education

ISCED levels 1-2

Is educational tracking implemented or modified by this document?

No

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

Compulsory school teachers were trained in universities, pedagogical institutes and other institutions of tertiary education. In some fields, the training was provided in specialised secondary education institutions. The usual duration of teacher’s education amounted to 15–16 years

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

Foreign citizens and stateless persons were granted rights equal to the citizens of the Soviet Union; no special provision was made for children of undocumented immigrants. Undocumented international migration was not an issue in the Soviet Union

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

Muudatuste tegemise kohta “Eesti NSV Haridusseaduses” seoses üldharidus- ja kutsekooli reformi põhisuundadega

Date of passage/approval

26^th June 1986

Date of signature

26^th June 1986

Date of publication

4^th July 1986

Are the effects retroactive?

No

Date of effect

1^st September 1986

Actors

Ministry of Education; educational institutions

Financing

Schools were financed from the state budget. Education was free of charge at all levels.

Earlier related reforms

In 1959–63, an eight-year compulsory education was introduced in Estonia; the age range of compulsory education was from seven to 16. The 1974 Education Act of the Estonian SSR (Eesti NSV Teataja 1974, 23, 201, amended in 1979 (Eesti NSV Teataja 1979, 45, 551), proclaimed a transition to universal upper secondary education. The first preparatory groups for six-year-olds were opened in the 1970s

Other related legislation

Regulation of the Council of Ministers of the Estonian SSR no. 514 "The guidelines for record-keeping on children in compulsory school age" (Eesti NSV Teataja 1986, 33, 514); Regulation of the Council of Ministers of the Estonian SSR no. 369 "The guidelines for record-keeping on children in compulsory school age“ (Eesti NSV Teataja 1986, 33, 514).

Original full text source in native language

Eesti NSV Teataja 1986, 20, 261

The act lowered the age of entry into compulsory education from seven to six years of age added one year to the duration of basic education. As a result, for those who entered school at age six, the duration of basic education increased from eight to nine years.

Secondary literature

- Kera, S. "Education in Estonia. Historical overview to 1991". Estonian Ministry of Education, Tallinn, 1996.
- Krull, E., & Trasberg, K. "Changes in Estonian general education from the collapse of the Soviet Union to EU entry". Tartu University, Department of Education, Tartu (2006). Available at: http://www.files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED495353.pdf

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/06General_education/06General_education.asp.