575 basic school graduates still lack school places

ERR reported on Monday that 575 young people who completed basic school this spring had not yet been assigned a new school place in Estonia’s education information system. The lists are constantly changing as some students reject offered places and those places are then offered to others.

The situation is particularly difficult in Tallinn, according to Krista Keedus, head of education organisation at the Tallinn Education Department.

“There are not many available places in Tallinn,” Keedus said. She added that Estonian-language upper secondary schools had completed their admissions and filled all their places.

Tallinn’s municipal upper secondary schools currently cannot create additional places because they lack both space and teachers. Keedus said the city was not immediately planning to add places, as it would first wait for final data on demand and availability due on September 10.

The arrival of students from neighbouring municipalities has also affected admissions. Nearly 27 percent of the students accepted into Tallinn’s 10th grades for the new school year do not live in the capital.

Although upper secondary school places are full in Tallinn, places remain available at Tallinn Applied College and Tehno Tallinn, a technology college. Keedus encouraged young people without a place to consider vocational education, which also offers vocational secondary education.

Places in preparatory education intended for young people with weaker final results were also filled during the summer. The city is discussing with the Ministry of Education and Research whether additional places could be created based on need.

Local governments have until November 1 to offer solutions to those who need them. Officials are already trying to contact the young people to understand why they have been left without a school place.

Keedus said it was unfortunate that some young people might not be able to start their school year on September 1, but added that they could still begin their studies days or even weeks later.

She said the number of young people ending their education after basic school had been similar or slightly lower in previous years. The Ministry of Education and Research had estimated that about 400 to 500 young people each year did not continue to the next level of education.

Previously, young people were free to enter the workforce instead, so monitoring at the start of the school year was not carried out. An education obligation has since been introduced because continuing education gives young people better opportunities to manage in life, Keedus said.