Estonia
Sources: OECD (2020[1]), TALIS 2018 Results (Volume II): Teachers and School Leaders as Valued Professionals, TALIS, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/19cf08df-en; OECD (2020[2]), "Learning remotely when schools close: How well are students and schools prepared? Insights from PISA", OECD Policy Responses to Coronavirus (COVID-19), OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/3bfda1f7-en; OECD (2019[3]), TALIS 2018 Results (Volume I): Teachers and School Leaders as Lifelong Learners, TALIS, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/1d0bc92a-en; OECD (2019[4]), PISA 2018 Results (Volume II): Where All Students Can Succeed, PISA, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/b5fd1b8f-en; OECD (2019[5]), PISA 2018 Results (Volume III): What School Life Means for Students’ Lives, PISA, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/acd78851-en.
Selected education policies for Estonia
Satisfaction with education surveys (Rahulolu haridusega, 2018)
►. Level of resilience: Broader learning environment
In 2018, Estonia began implementing a range of surveys to measure different stakeholders’ satisfaction with the education system. The surveys cover all levels of the system, from pre-primary to upper-secondary and vocational education and training, and capture the views of learners, parents, and teachers. Questions cover aspects relating to the school environment, student learning, and student well-being. Schools and school owners receive a report summarising the results from their school across different stakeholder groups and comparing these to the national average. At the system level, the aggregated data is used to measure progress in Estonia’s Lifelong Learning Strategy, which contains an indicator for stakeholder satisfaction. In this sense, the surveys support the improvement of individual institutions at the same time as informing strategic improvement at the system level.
In a similar vein, Estonia collected stakeholder feedback on distance learning and other forms of emergency provision in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Estonia gathered data on teachers’ experiences of distance learning in the first week of school closures and used this to develop recommendations for implementing remote learning. This was followed by a broader study on distance learning conducted by the Ministry of Education and Research and the University of Tallinn, which made longer-term recommendations for school development and the organisation of learning. The study drew on qualitative case studies and a national survey of students, teachers, parents, and school leaders.
Further reading: OECD (2020[6]), Education Policy Outlook: Estonia, http://www.oecd.org/education/policy-outlook/country-profile-Estonia-2020.pdf (accessed on 28 October 2021).
Funding for VET programmes for at-risk youth (2020)
►. Level of resilience: System
In 2020, the Estonian Ministry of Education and Research made a total of EUR 1.7 million available to VET institutions to fund new programmes for at-risk youth. Institutions can apply for grants of EUR 100 000-200 000 for programme proposals that support young people’s transitions to the workplace or further study. The initiative is funded by the European Economic Area and Norway’s 2014-21 Local Development and Poverty Reduction grant. The target group includes young people who have fallen out of compulsory education, or those who are not in education, employment or training, students who need enhanced support, and those with poorly defined career goals. In this sense, the funding is directed towards the groups most likely to be affected by the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. Institutions can use the grants for curriculum development, including planning for out-of-school learning, and for training and networking activities for school staff and partners in the workplace. The initiative aims to reach at least 400 young people in 15 VET institutions, and for 50% of participants to be in work or further study by 2024.
Further reading: Ministry of Education and Research of Estonia (2020[7]), Kutseõppeasutusi toetatakse 1,7 miljoni euroga [1.7 million EUR to support vocational insitutions], https://www.hm.ee/et/uudised/kutseoppeasutusi-toetatakse-17-miljoni-euroga (accessed on 1 April 2021).
References
Ministry of Education and Research of Estonia (2020), Kutseõppeasutusi toetatakse 1,7 miljoni euroga [1.7 million EUR to support vocational insitutions], https://www.hm.ee/et/uudised/kutseoppeasutusi-toetatakse-17-miljoni-euroga (accessed on 1 April 2021). [7]
OECD (2020), Education Policy Outlook: Estonia, https://www.oecd.org/education/policy-outlook/country-profile-Estonia-2020.pdf (accessed on 28 October 2021). [6]
OECD (2020), Learning remotely when schools close: How well are students and schools prepared? Insights from PISA, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/3bfda1f7-en. [2]
OECD (2020), TALIS 2018 Results (Volume II): Teachers and School Leaders as Valued Professionals, TALIS, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/19cf08df-en. [1]
OECD (2019), PISA 2018 Results (Volume II): Where All Students Can Succeed, PISA, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/b5fd1b8f-en. [4]
OECD (2019), PISA 2018 Results (Volume III): What School Life Means for Students’ Lives, PISA, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/acd78851-en. [5]
OECD (2019), TALIS 2018 Results (Volume I): Teachers and School Leaders as Lifelong Learners, TALIS, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/1d0bc92a-en. [3]