Several smaller schools across Estonia to close this fall
Several smaller schools across Estonia will be closing as of the new school year. On the list are schools that aren't being shut down outright, but rather merged with other local schools.
Kristin Hollo, head of the External Evaluation Department of the Ministry of Education and Research, said that Estonia's school network is like the city of Tallinn, which will never really be finished. In addition to state and private schools, there are many educational institutions that belong to local governments.
According to Hollo, based on information submitted to the ministry, no major, mass closures of schools is coming.
"A calm and typical year in terms of restructuring; nothing extraordinary has caught my eye in that regard," she said.
Nonetheless, the current school year will be the last at Krabi School, a private school in Võru County whose activity license was revoked. Mattias Basic School, a private school in Tallinn, will also be closing, as will Põlula School in Lääne-Viru County, Kavastu Kindergarten-Primary School in Tartu County, which going forward will operate only as a kindergarten, and Libaste Kindergarten-Primary School in Pärnu County.
Tallinn Pääsküla High School will continue operating as a basic school. Adult high schools in Võru and Rakvere will also be closing, with its students to be redirected to Võru County Vocational Training Center and Rakvere Vocational School, respectively.
Several basic schools are also slated to merge with high schools. In Harju County, for example, Keila Basic School will be merged with Keila High School, and Kosejõe School will be merged with Kose High School. Nearly ten schools will see basic schools joined by kindergartens, following which they will be reclassified as kindergarten-primary schools. Such is the case in Tsirguliina and Kolga-Jaani, for example.
Big changes were originally planned for schools in Põltsamaa as well. The municipality had planned to merge six smaller schools with Põltsamaa Joint High School, leaving the smaller schools to operate as campuses of the high school. According to municipal council chairman Andres Vääna, however, this decision is in the process of being changed. A bill which is expected to be approved by the municipal council on Thursday calls for the administration of education in Põltsamaa to remain unchanged next school year.
-
Download the ERR News app for Android and iOS now and never miss an update!
Editor: Aili Vahtla
