Originally planned for 2024, the Ministry of Education now aims to implement e-exams by 2027 after creating an entirely new system, "Aktuaalne kaamera" reported.

The pilot e-exams conducted last spring exposed significant technical glitches, prompting the Ministry of Education to push their implementation down the road to 2026.

However, due to persistent problems with the existing platform, the plan has been delayed further still, and the latest update is that the IT system in question will need to be built from the ground up.

Education Minister Kristina Kallas (Eesti 200) said, "The crisis with the exam information system (EIS) last spring, where we couldn't reach an agreement with the developer on how to improve the product, led us to part ways with them."

"Then we brought in the private sector. As of today, it is clear that we need to build an entirely new exam information system as the current one is outdated and non-functional," the minister went on.

The new EIS and its user interface are scheduled to be completed by the end of this year, with stress tests planned for next year.

If all that proves successful, e-exams will become mandatory for middle school graduation starting in 2027.

The delays, meanwhile, give students additional time to adapt to the new exam format, which differs significantly from traditional on-paper exams.

Ahti Noor, director at the Keila school, just outside Tallinn, said he believes this is the right decision.

He said, "Using a phone with your thumbs is significantly easier, but using a computer and writing correctly is much more difficult, and requires practice."

According to Noor, preparing for e-exams requires a different mindset and familiarity with computers.

However, the greatest hurdle isn't a lack of devices, but a shortage of study materials and exercises, particularly for the Estonian-language exam.

"I think the best situation is with English, while Estonian and mathematics are more challenging. Estonian, in particular, is where the most material needs to be developed," he added.

While the e-exams remain postponed, the ministry has implemented significant changes to high school admissions.

This year's basic school (Põhikool) graduates will no longer need to take entrance exams to the state high schools (Riigigümnaasiumid) if they wish to attend.

Instead, admissions will be based on academic performance and interviews.

Minister Kallas said, "We have instructed the state high schools and the [municipal and private] high schools not to conduct tests, but to take basic school diplomas into consideration, and to conduct interviews to guide students' learning motivation and choices."

At the Mustamäe State High School, which admits 360 students a year, the competition is steep, with over 1,000 students listing it as their first choice – nearly three applicants per place.

Admissions will now focus on grades from ninth grade onward.

School director Raino Liblik said, "We consider grades in 10 subjects, giving slightly more weight to the math basic school final exam grade. That is one aspect. During interviews, we will also focus on specific topics."

Basic school finals still take place in April as usual, with the results expected by May 16, before high school admissions are finalized.

Attendance at basic school (Põhikool), what might be called junior high, is mandatory in Estonia, whereas high school (Gümnaasium) attendance is optional.

As noted, schools are mostly operated by local authorities, to which private schools can be added, as well as the state-run high schools, a relatively new development.

There are two Estonian-language school-leavers' exams, one for native speakers and another for non-native speakers.

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