The process has been aided by measures already in place, or being introduced by the ministry, Kallas went on, though this rationalization will include some school closures.

While input from the ministry can be given, however, the decision is ultimately down to the municipalities, she added.

Speaking to ETV news show "Aktuaalne kaamera" (AK), the minister said: "Many schools are currently being reorganized under a unified management, meaning smaller schools with few students being consolidated within a single municipality – which is a very sensible approach."

The education ministry says it had as of the start of this month received close to 60 notifications of such reorganizations across various municipalities.

In fact, decisions relating to the 2024-2025 academic year mostly concern consolidating the management at educational institutions, the minister said, highlighting three reasons for the restructuring the school network.

"Municipalities are seeing in their budgets the need to tighten the school network and bring it under unified management," was the first of these, Kallas said.

"The second factor is the small schools state support measure, and we are seeing a rise in these: This year, 18 schools applied for support via this measure, with 11 more to follow next year," she continued.

"Third, decisions which are not always the most popular ones are being made head of the next local government elections," the minister added.

Kallas also said elementary school teachers' wage funds received from the ministry must not be used to subsidize high school teachers' pay, pointing to a fourth reason for the rationale behind restructuring.

The ministry plans to forbid the practice of smaller high schools compensating for the wages of high school teachers who have a low workload by drawing on the elementary school wage fund. This change will most likely happen within the 2025 state budget process, Kallas said.

A separate team negotiating the education agreement's funding model is being led by former Eesti Energia board chair Hando Sutter. The team will present their findings ahead likely in early summer.

"But financial issues will be discussed during the state budget negotiations, meaning the agreement is expected to be concluded in October-November," Kallas went on.

While municipalities have leeway in their decisions as school administrators, Kallas agreed with an assertion that the ministry has leverage to influence these decisions also, since "education funding is almost split in half with the municipalities: Half of the money comes from the municipality's budget, and the state provides the other half for teachers' wages."

"In this way, the state can set its priorities as a financier, when determining teachers' salaries," she added.

"If a municipality employs more teachers than the ministry has budgeted for, then the municipality must cover the excess teacher wages. For this reason, municipalities need to reassess their school networks," Kallas said.

Kallas noted the need for municipalities to watch their spending is "understandable," while they retain the freedom to operate high schools and elementary schools alike, in whatever size and number they deem appropriate.

While there are state-run high schools in Estonia, the primary and secondary education system is mostly the responsibility of local governments.

The smaller schools support measure is intended for municipalities with schools or teaching locations which have more than 19 students, but fewer than 90 students.

There are 79 local government authorities in Estonia.

The next local elections take place in October 2025.

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