General education encompasses pre-school education, basic education and secondary education. At all educational levels, academic work takes place on the basis of a standard state curriculum, on the basis of which each educational institution develops its own curriculum.
Pre-school education
The local government provides the opportunity for all children aged 18 months to 3 years residing within the local government, whose parents have expressed interest, to attend a childcare institution within its territory. Likewise, all children aged 3 to 7 years residing within territory of the local government, whose parents have requested a place, have the right to attend a preschool within its territory.
Forms of preschool operation include:
1) Preschool;
2) Preschool with a childcare group or groups.
To support the wellbeing and development of children, smaller groups may be organised within preschools. When forming a group for a child with special educational needs, the recommendation of the external advisory team is followed.
At the recommendation of the external advisory team and with parental consent, the preschool provides enhanced support or special support.
A child who receives enhanced or special support is considered to be a child with special educational needs.
Further information about preschool education can be found on the website of the Ministry of Education and Research.
Basic education
Parents are free to select a school for a pre-school-age child, but the child’s interests, abilities and the school curriculum should be taken into consideration. Pursuant to the child’s interests, the child may be enrolled in a hobby school as well.
Depending on the child’s health condition and individual development, compulsory basic education may be acquired:
- on the basis of the national curriculum for basic schools;
- on the basis of the simplified national curriculum for basic schools (students with a mild intellectual disability are taught based on the simplified national curriculum, students with a moderate, severe or profound intellectual disability are taught in classes for students with special educational needs).
Various characteristics can serve as the criteria when choosing a school:
- form of ownership – state or private school;
- previous reputation and contact with the school;
- study options available at the school;
- location of the school and safety of the route to the school;
- selection of hobby groups;
- qualification and level of the teachers;
- teaching methods used.
More about basic education can you read on the webpage of Ministry of Education and Research and on the webpage of Eurydice.
Secondary education
Secondary education is based on basic education and can be categorized as either general secondary education or vocational secondary education. General secondary education is acquired in an upper secondary school. Study at an upper secondary school takes place in day, evening and distance learning form. Admission to upper secondary school takes place on the basis of results of basic school and on the basis of verification of additional knowledge arranged by each upper secondary school.
Acquiring a general secondary education confers the right to continue studies in a higher educational institution or vocational school. External students are also eligible to graduate. To graduate from upper secondary school, final examinations are taken – state and school examinations. Tuition is free in state and local government general educational schools and the state and local governments must guarantee an opportunity for all to acquire a general education.
More about secondary education can you read on the webpage of Ministry of Education and Research and on the webpage of Eurydice.
Every county in Estonia has a study counselling centre, where students, parents and teachers are provided psychological, logopedic, special education and social education counselling. The function of support centres is to support early noticing system for children’s developmental and educational special needs and the individual development of children. In addition, two schools for children with special needs operate Estonia-wide – the Tartu Emajõe School and the Tartu Hiie School.
Related articles
Services
- Changing my data in Population Register
- Data from the Estonian Education Information System (EHIS)
- National examination data and e-certificate
- Query of own data and underage children (Population Register)
- Verifying the validity of e-certificate
- Viewing the data of graduated education
Laws
- Republic of Estonia Education Act
- Preschool Child Care Institutions Act
- Basic Schools and Upper Secondary Schools Act