More ninth-graders take private courses before maths exam

More ninth-graders in Estonia are taking private courses to prepare for their maths final exam, ERR reports. The Education Ministry says schools bear primary responsibility for providing extra support to students who need it.

Interest in exam preparation has grown as final exam results play an important role in students’ chances of finding a place at an upper-secondary school. After confusion over school places at the end of the previous school year, more students have also been taking courses in Estonian and other subjects.

Tallinn University of Technology’s exam school offers ninth-graders courses in Estonian, maths and physics. Its head, Aet Karolin, said interest in the courses rose a few years ago amid changes to the timing of final exams and has increased further this autumn. She said larger age groups and anxiety among students and parents were also factors. Maths is the most popular course.

The Gustav Adolf School training centre also offers ninth-graders courses in maths, Estonian, physics and English. Its head, Irene Andresson, said demand for maths courses had been high for a long time and had risen slightly after difficulties finding upper-secondary school places this summer.

Andresson said a shortage of teachers and frequent staff changes could make it harder for students to keep up in lessons. Karolin cited teachers’ reports that students find it harder to concentrate, as well as large classes in Tallinn and possibly Tartu, which can limit individual attention. She also pointed to differences in students’ needs and discipline problems in schools.

Karolin said some students with no particular difficulty in maths still take courses because they worry about whether they will get into the school they want.