Tallinn's Nõmme High School, which last year opened only three parallel classes instead of four, will be able to open five parallel classes this fall due to a high number of applicants.

"We will have 165 students in our 10th grade classes. In the spring, we decided we needed to open at least four parallel classes, but we ended up opening five, and the classes are very large," said the school's Deputy Head of Studies Karin Klemmer.

"This year, we don't feel the impact of the opening of state high schools as strongly. Last year, it was a different story. State high schools were a new thing, and there was a big rush to get in. But now it has become clear that these large institutions aren't suitable for everyone. Those who study there have shared their experiences, and young people aren't rushing headlong into these schools anymore," Klemmer added.

Tallinn Coeducational High School (Ühisgümnaasium) is also seeing a more positive situation. In the 2023/2024 academic year, the school opened two parallel classes due to a lack of students, but for the upcoming academic year, the school has 80 students and will open three parallel classes again.

"We still have some spots available, and we are in talks with potential new students, but compared to last year, our enrollment is better. We may have about ten fewer students than traditionally, but the impact of state high schools isn't as significant this year," said the school's principal, Mehis Pever.

According to Pever, the preference for state high schools last year was an "emotional issue."

Principal: State could try its hand at a full cycle school

Rando Kuustik, the principal of Tallinn's Jakob Westholm High School, stated that they did not observe a decline in the number of applicants this spring and do not plan to reduce the size of their high school section.

"It seems that we won't need to make such a decision anytime soon. Instead, we will discuss this academic year whether and how it might be possible to increase the number of admissions in the coming years. But for now, it's just an idea in the planning phase," said Kuustik.

This year, Westholm will have 72 students in its 10th grade, which means two parallel classes will be opened. Last year, the school had 67 students.

According to Kuustik, the competition between state and municipal high schools could become problematic if the government decides to limit municipal schools' ability to offer high school education.

"At the citywide meeting of Tallinn school principals on Thursday, Minister of Education Kristina Kallas (Eesti 200) mentioned that there is no expected decline in the number of students in Tallinn in the coming years. Therefore, it may be necessary to review the participation of the state and local governments (KOVs) in providing high school education," Kuustik said.

"At the same time, we cannot foresee what will happen if more state high schools are built in Tallinn. Could this reduce many schools' ability and capacity to admit enough students, or will some schools have to close their high school sections? Anything is possible, but I currently see that the ministry lacks the ability to see the big picture. We hope this will change and that substantial decisions will be made to improve the quality and substance of our education," Kuustik added.

Kuustik does not believe that Tallinn should oppose the construction of state high schools. However, he is troubled by the dismantling of a system that has provided quality education for decades.

"Opposition breeds opposition, and there's little point in being artificially opposed to something. Through collaboration and meaningful discussions, we can determine what the cooperation between the state and the city of Tallinn in providing education should look like. To ensure fair competition and comparison, I would like to see, even as an experiment, how the state could establish a full-cycle school (grades 1-12) and prove that the state is a better provider of education than local governments," Kuustik said.

"However, I don't believe in that last point too deeply, because in Estonia and Tallinn, we have an exceptional number of schools that have done excellent work without fault for decades and have provided exceptionally good education. What bothers me more is the dismantling of systems for the sake of dismantling. And it seems that our education leaders sometimes fail to distinguish between quality and quantity, which is extremely unfortunate," Kuustik added.

Hundreds of study places still disappearing from municipal schools

Krista Keedus, head of the educational organization department at the Tallinn Education Department, confirmed that competition between state high schools and Tallinn's municipal high schools has stabilized this year, and schools have calmed down.

"This year has been somewhat quieter – that's the feedback we've received from schools. Last year, there was more uncertainty and movement of students over the summer, but now young people are a bit more aware of what state high schools offer compared to other high schools. So, in the bigger picture, the situation might be a bit more stable than it was last year," Keedus said.

However, the number of students in city schools is still being impacted by the emergence of state high schools.

"We predict that around 100 fewer students will enroll in our municipal high schools this year compared to last year," Keedus noted. This is also 100 fewer than the year before.

According to Keedus, municipal schools most affected by state high schools are those located near a state school or with a very similar profile.

"One of the schools that was seriously impacted last year is Pelgulinna High School, which has decided, in cooperation with the Education Department, not to open a 10th grade class this fall," Keedus said.

Keedus added that the Mustamäe State High School has also affected high schools in Mustamäe. "But the impact there is perhaps more widespread, affecting certain schools a bit more and others less. Tõnismäe State High School, being smaller, does not have a direct impact on any specific city school," Keedus explained.

Keedus did not yet have precise numbers on how many students would be starting in city high schools, as these figures will be confirmed at the beginning of September. However, the forecast is for around 3,500 students in 10th grade classes.

The majority of students entering state high schools come from Tallinn's basic schools, with a small number coming from nearby municipalities.

Fourth state high school to be opened in Lasnamäe

In 2029, the state plans to open a fourth state high school in Tallinn, located in the Mustakivi area of Lasnamäe.

"We will serve students from Lasnamäe and the eastern part of Harju County. High school students are quite mobile when provided with good learning opportunities," said Indrek Riisaar, head of state property management at the Ministry of Education.

The high school is expected to accommodate a total of 1,080 students, with each grade level hosting 360 students.

Riisaar mentioned that there is mutual understanding with the city regarding the establishment of the school.

Krista Keedus from the Tallinn Education Department also confirmed that they are aligned with the state on the development of the Lasnamäe State High School.

"There is a shortage of school places in Lasnamäe, especially at the basic school level, and we are actively seeking school spaces for children. If the state high school allows for a reduction in the high school sections of other schools, thereby creating more room for basic school students, this is very positive news," Keedus said.

According to the Ministry of Education, the timing of the school's opening depends on discussions related to the detailed plan. If these proceed quickly, the school could open in 2029, if they take longer, the opening will be no later than 2032.

The Ministry of Education and Research has been establishing new state high schools in county centers. In the fall of 2023, the focus shifted to Tallinn, with the opening of three new schools: Mustamäe, Pelgulinna and Tõnismäe state high schools.

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