Estonia's Ministry of Education to Overhaul School Exams in 2023
Estonia's Ministry of Education is set to introduce significant changes to secondary school exams from next spring. The aim is to reduce student anxiety and alter the focus of these exams.
The ministry has announced that entrance exams for final graduation will be abolished in some schools. Instead, students who do not reach the 50% threshold will receive a graduation certificate without a retake. This change is not mandatory for all educational institutions, and specific schools and evaluation methods have not been disclosed.
The ministry views school-leaving exams primarily as tools for admission to higher education, not for graduating from secondary school. Students who miss exams for valid reasons will still have the option to retake them.
These changes, starting next spring, aim to reduce anxiety among schoolchildren and shift the purpose of school-leaving exams. Students will no longer face the pressure of retakes for graduation, focusing instead on their higher education prospects.
