Preliminary results of 2017 state exams stable
This year’s state exam results in Estonian, Estonian as a second language, and mathematics have been stable compared to last year.
According to AS Innove, the Estonian fund for the administration of European Union support for educational programs, interest in different language exams was higher this year. The number of students who achieve at least B1 level in any foreign language exam has steadily increased.
The average score in Estonian language exams was 62.9 points. The exam was taken by 6,549 students this year, as Innove confirmed to ERR.
2,216 students took the Estonian as a second language exam. The average score was 60.1 points, also in line with the results of previous years.
Anyone who passes the exam with 60 percent or more receives a B2 level certificate. This year 1,192 students or 53.7 percent of all who took the exams achieved this goal.
Two mathematics exams are available, one with a narrower and one with a broader scope. 3,540 students chose the former, 4,160 the latter. That the broad exam is more popular is in line with participation data of the last few years.
The narrow-scope exam had an average score of 38.4 points, the broad-scope exam 51.8 points.
Foreign languages tested this year include English, French, German, and Russian. In the case of the latter three languages, students took the according international exam. Compared to 2016, the number of students taking the French and Russian exams increased. Scores were relatively even across all four languages.
While the share of students passing the B2 level threshold in English and Russian increased, fewer achieved this result in German and French. Compared to the previous year, the number of international certificates for English (ranging from B1 to C2 level) increased significantly.
This spring the state exams took place for the 21st time since Estonia’s regaining independence. This year marked the fourth exams following the new rules, which dictate that all students have to pass one of the two Estonian language exams as well as a foreign language and mathematics. All in all, some 9,400 students took the exams this year.
An overview of complete scores and a summary statistic about different schools will be published in autumn.
SA Innove was funded by the Estonian state in 2003 and has since directed efforts funded by the EU to develop general as well as trade education in Estonia. Innove offers a counselling and career advice network as well as access to EU funding. The fund belongs to the competency area of the Ministry of Education and Research.
Editor: Dario Cavegn