As of the initial plans, the Mustamäe state high school was supposed to be completed and opened by September 1 2022, but since there are extensive supply difficulties in the construction market, the developments will take longer, said education ministry vice-chancellor Robert Lippin.

"Since we lack the certainty that the new building will be completed by September next year, we decided to delay the opening of the high school by a year. Mustamäe state high school will start on September 1 2023," Lippin confirmed.

The school building itself will be completed earlier - in the start of 2023 - and this will provide a necessary buffer period in case there are further delays and uncertainty in the construction sector.

"As of current knowledge, the building will be ready by the beginning of 2023. We have buffer time there, if something unprecedented were to happen," Lippin said.

The ministry vice-chancellor said the building's development will begin once all procurements have been carried out. "It has appeared on multiple occasions throughout the procurement process that the previously planned delivery times for construction materials are not affordable for potential bidders," Lippin noted.

Mustamäe is one of three locations in Tallinn set to get a new state high school, Pelgulinn and Tõnismäe the others. Lippin said the situation on the construction market is worrying, but the opening of the two other high schools will not be delayed.

"The situation on the construction market is certainly worrying and we are monitoring it. In cooperation with Riigi Kinnisvara AS and other partners, we will do everything to avoid such surprises. We have not received any information about changes for other state high schools, we are moving at planned pace. All will be completed by the deadline: 2022 or by August 2023," the ministry official said.

Lippin added that the ministry is aware that there will be large-scale state procurements in the construction sector soon, but said they are hoping on finishing the state high schools prior to the situation getting critical. "Large objects, such as Rail Baltic or others could effect the construction sector, but as of our current knowledge, we will finish the school buildings before those," he said.

Mustamäe state high school will be developed on Akadeemia tee 25 in the near vicinity of Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech).

Architecture company Arhitekt Must's plan "Kuppelmaastik" won the school's design contest, with the net surface of the school totaling 7,900 m2. The school is planned to accomodate 1,080 students, with another 120 made up by teachers and other staff. The second stage of developments will see additional rooms build, extending the school's closed room area to 16,000 m2.

The building is planned in two large parts. A triangular building will contain classrooms and another building will house the sports facilities. The buildings will be connected by a first floor tunnel, hidden under the landscape.

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