Education in Estonia:

an introduction
Mart Laanpere
Professor of mathematics & computing education
Centre for Educational Technology
Tallinn University, Estonia
 Call me
Mart

• I come from a dynasty of mathematics teachers (3rd-generation)

• Used to teach mathematics, physics and informatics in a rural
primary + secondary school since 1989, principal 1992 – 1996, 2005
Educational statistics of Estonia
Number of schools: 517, including:
- 351 basic schools (grades 1-9)
- 140+25 secondary schools (grades 1-12 or 10-12)
50% of high schools have <100 students
11% private schools, 8% state schools
Number of students (K-12): 156 000
Number of teachers (K-12): 15 000
Free textbooks, school lunches & transport
Population: 1.3 Million
Size: 45 227 km²
Capital: Tallinn (pop. 446 000)
Official language: Estonian
Ethnic Estonians: 69%
Member of EU, NATO: since 2004
Information society index:
#1 in Europe (public e-services)
Strong ICT sector (employs 5,3%)
The startup nation: the highest
number of IT-startups, Skype
Home of EU IT Agency & NATO
CDC
70% 30%
 OECD PISA study 2018
• Estonian 8th graders
ranked on top in EU
for Math, Science,
Reading skills
• Estonian students:
• Student’s socio-economic
background has small impact
on performance
• 70% of Estonian students are
satisfied with their life
• 70% of Estonian students want
to acquire higher education
• Believes in technology, is active
digital device user and reads
online news regularly

More info: www.hm.ee/en/activities/statistics-and-analysis/pisa

PISA trends in Estonia

Students' wellbeing and growth mindset

Mean performance of Estonian students by socio economic status: 61 p
Educational policy reforms
• National curricula: 1996, 2001, 2011, 2024
• School autonomy, no school inspectorate
• Tiger Leap school digitalisation program: 1996, 2001, 2006
• External evaluation (state exams): 1997
• Online exams, level e-tests, diagnostic e-tests
• Lifelong Learning Strategy 2014-2020: pedagogical paradigm
shift, digital turn in schools, teachers' qualification
• National Strategy of Education 2021-2035: flexible learning
paths, access to education
National Strategy of Education 2035: https://www.hm.ee/en/activities/strategic-planning-2021-2035
National curricula: https://www.hm.ee/en/activities/pre-school-basic-and-secondary-education
School autonomy
• Schools are autonomous, principals have extensive rights to
arrange life at schools (curriculum, teachers' salary, budget)
• Every school tries to build unique identity
• Accountability: sample-based e-tests in grades 4 - 7, exams in
grades 9 and 12
• Policy of inclusive education
• Schools have to provide free access to social pedagogues,
speech therapists, psychologists, etc for SN students
• School networks: environmental, entrepreneurial, mentoring,
healthy lifestyle, movement promotion, space schools...
Teachers
• Teachers select teaching methods and textbooks
• All teachers are required a master’s degree (81% actually have)
• 3% of school’s payroll budget goes to CPD
• Many free in-service training courses available
• Mentoring system for novice teachers and principals
• Teachers' average age is 49, 86 % are female
• 86% of lesson time is spent on teaching and learning
• Salaries have increased 70% over the past 7 years, priority is to
make teachers’ profession more attractive

Educational data dashboard: https://www.haridussilm.ee/

Dimensions of whole-school Digital Turn

Depth of change
5

Continuous innovation
4
Seamless embedding
3

Process redesign
2

Internal coordination
1
Accidental use

10% 25% 50% 90% 200+ %

Scale of change: the share of people engaged

Digital Mirror Digital Mirror: An online tool for
self-assessment of school’s digital
digipeegel.ee maturity, then creating digital strategy

Self-assessment:
• By the principal
• By digi-team
• By peer team

Data-driven
decision-making:
• Benchmarking
• Strategic goals
• Action plan
• School-owners’
digital strategy
Digital Learning Resoucers: e-Schoolbag www.e-koolikott.ee

Online exams
https://eis.ekk.edu.ee/
 Digital Competence vs. Informatics
Almost any teacher Only qualified informatics
Digital competence: is able to teach
Special preparation
teachers are able/allowed
Informatics as
is needed to teach it
integrated into subjects to teach it a school subject
InfoLiteracy
Collaboration
Content creation
Digital safety
Problem solving
Robotics
Programming

A swimming pool
metaphor Elective courses:
- Software prototyping
- Geoinformatics
- Data analysis
- Robotics & mechatronics
- CyberDefence
National test of Digital Competence
• The same version for 9th (8th) and 12th (11th) grade students
• Fully online on EIS platform since 2017, designed by experts from the
University of Tartu and Tallinn University
• Automatically graded multiple choice items
• No aggregated score or grade is given to students, only summary
analytics to teacher and school
• Compulsory for a random sample of 20 schools, voluntary for the
others (a week later after the sample-based test)
Official documents about Estonian education
• National curriculum of basic schools (2011): https://www.riigiteataja.ee/en/eli
/524092014014/consolide
• National curriculum of upper-secondary schools (2011): https://
www.riigiteataja.ee/en/eli/524092014009/consolide
• National strategy of education 2021-2035: https://digital-skills-jobs.europa.eu/en
/actions/national-initiatives/national-strategies/estonia-education-strategy-2021-2
035
• Pre-school curriculum:
https://www.hm.ee/en/education-research-and-youth-affairs/general-education/g
eneral-education-estonia
• Overview of SEN education in Estonia:
https://epikoda.ee/en/for-parents/education/basic-education,
simplified curriculum for basic schools
• A brand new book on Estonian education success story:
https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/edit/10.4324/9781003255543/lessons-eston
ia-education-success-story-peeter-mehisto-maie-kitsing
 Guided tour tomorrow
• Tomorrow guided tour in the Old Town (2 hrs)
• Meet me 10:00 at the Old Town Hall