Ministry Against Compulsory Secondary Level Education
After an organization of employers said Estonia should reform its education system, making the secondary level - after grade 9 - compulsory, the Ministry of Education said the idea is a non-starter.
According to current legislation, education is mandatory until graduating from primary school, meaning grades 1-9, or until the age of 17. Mart Laidmets, the deputy secretary general for general and vocational education at the ministry, said the problem lies elsewhere, as many young people are dropping out of school.
“The question is not whether to make something compulsory or not, the problem is the fact that 15 percent of the workforce only has a basic education,” said Laidmets, adding that the state's strategy on adult education is focusing more and more on who did not complete their education as a child.
He said only 3 percent of pupils do not want to study at secondary school level.
Employers said that statistically people are more likely to find jobs if they have a higher degree of education, and compulsory secondary school education would boost the workforce, allowing companies to hire a smarter workforce.