Municipalities List 100 Schools to Be Spared Axe
Associations of municipalities have come up with a list of around 100 upper secondary schools that they recommend saving, more than the figure of 70 preferred by the government.
The proposals came after representatives of the Education and Research Ministry visited the counties to talk about the reform and asked them to explore possibilities for cutting back, Postimees reported.
On the island of Hiiumaa, municipalities settled for retaining one upper secondary school, but in Harju County the minimum was considered to be 14 and the critical threshold, nine schools.
The high school, gümnaasium, is the main structural unit of secondary education in Estonia, serving grades 10-12; many also include a basic school from grade 1-9.
The ministry's plan envisions core high schools as being located in the administrative centre of each county, but the associations of municipalities went to lengths to keep some in rural areas.
Ministry of Education and Research undersecretary Kalle Küttis told the newspaper each county needs a different approach to reducing the number of schools.
Kristopher Rikken