Introduction
1.
Haridus murdepunktis
Introduction
  1. The foundations of education: Human capital, strong institutions and the will to pursue education Reflection
  1. Education at a turning point: the old system crumbling, the new one is still emerging Reflection
  1. Seven opportunities to develop the export of Estonian education Reflection
  1. Educational inequality in Estonia: where does it persist and how effectively has it been reduced? Reflection
  1. Lifelong learning must engage both the university-educated engineer and the low-skilled worker Reflection
2.
Hariduse andmetarkus
Introduction
  1. From data to decisions: How does Statistics Estonia help make society more informed? Reflection
  1. PISA blindness: Why is Estonia not using the full potential of its register data? Reflection
3.
Haridus kui tuluteenimise vahend
Introduction
  1. Returns to education Reflection
  1. Does vocational education pay off? Reflection
  1. Teachers’ wage models Reflection
4.
Haridus kui sotsiaalne lift
5.
Tarkvara uuendatud, aga kas õppimine ka?
Introduction
  1. Smart digital learning resources are evolving into an adaptive ecosystem Reflection
  1. Smart use of artificial intelligence requires human intelligence Reflection
  1. Estonia’s education system in the winds of technological and legal change Reflection
  1. Today’s classrooms require digital innovation Reflection
6.
Kestlikkus hariduspeeglis
Introduction
  1. Education is only one stone in the foundation of a sustainable lifestyle Reflection
  1. Local schools and sustainable mobility as prerequisites for independent school travel Reflection
  1. Educational institutions can bridge the gap between climate awareness and climate-responsible behaviour Reflection
  1. Supporting sustainability in education requires changes not only in content but also in teaching methods Reflection
7.
Haridus on turvalise ühiskonna alus
Estonian education 2050

Reflection

Vocational education generally does not provide significant labour market advantages compared with general upper secondary education. In principle, vocational graduates’ skills tailored to labour market needs should lead to higher earnings than those of general upper secondary graduates. In practice, however, the wage premium is small and tends to diminish over time. Two main factors are likely at play: selection and instructional quality.

Estonia’s culture of prioritising higher education channels most of the more able young people into general upper secondary school and from there to university. Vocational schools often enrol those for whom upper secondary or university studies are less attainable. It is therefore reasonable to assume that general upper secondary graduates are, on average, somewhat more academically capable, which may offset the lack of vocationally acquired skills in the labour market. In other words, above-average pupils tend to select into general upper secondary education, while somewhat less academically strong pupils enter vocational schools.

Paradoxically, vocational pupils are expected to complete both general upper secondary education and vocational training within roughly the same timeframe as general upper secondary pupils complete their studies. This is demanding even for motivated and capable pupils, let alone for those who struggle with general education. Inevitably, vocational curricula involve compromises, and requirements are likely to be aligned more closely with the abilities of less academically strong learners. This implies that more capable vocational pupils could probably acquire more knowledge if vocational schools were able to expand the general education component of their curricula. However, this is difficult, as dropout rates are already high.

If the aim is to improve both the substance and the reputation of vocational education, selection must be taken more fully into account in curriculum design and in evaluating the performance of vocational schools.

  • The effectiveness of vocational schools should be assessed regularly, taking into account pupils’ initial levels of knowledge and skills, the extent to which these improve by graduation and their subsequent labour market outcomes. This would provide a clearer picture of the value added by vocational schools and indicate which pupils benefit more and which less. For many young people, general upper secondary education is not a realistic option, and vocational schools likely perform valuable work in preparing them for the labour market. However, comparing the average outcomes of general upper secondary and vocational graduates without accounting for differences in pupil ability obscures this contribution.
  • Vocational education must become more diverse. It faces both substantive and reputational challenges. Addressing these requires making vocational education attractive also to academically stronger pupils, which in turn means offering programmes that do not appear to lead to a dead end. One option would be to consolidate institutions providing vocational upper secondary and applied higher education into integrated education centres offering both pathways. The duration of study should also be reconsidered – if pupils are to receive high-quality general upper secondary education, vocational upper secondary programmes should extend beyond three years. Providing secondary and higher education within the same institution would make it possible to design general education modules that better support further study and potentially increase their appeal. Strong general education is essential for adaptability. Vocational education must find ways to provide it at a high standard to as many pupils as possible. Achieving this would also help mitigate the selection problem.
Vocational education faces both substantive and reputational challenges.