Homepage Foreword Introduction
1.
Education at a turning point
Introduction
  1. 1.1. The foundations of education: Human capital, strong institutions and the will to pursue education 1.1. Reflection
  1. 1.2. Education at a turning point: The old system is crumbling, a new one is still emerging 1.2. Reflection
  1. 1.3. Seven opportunities for developing Estonian education exports 1.3. Reflection
  1. 1.4. Educational inequality in Estonia: Where does it persist and how effectively has it been reduced? 1.4. Reflection
1.5. Lifelong learning must engage both the university-educated engineer and the low-skilled worker 1.5. Reflection
2.
Data literacy in education
Introduction
  1. 2.1. From data to decisions: How does Statistics Estonia help make society more informed? 2.1. Reflection
  1. 2.2. PISA blindness: Why is Estonia not using the full potential of its register data? 2.2. Reflection
3.
Education as a means of generating income
Introduction
  1. 3.1. Returns to education 3.1. Reflection
  1. 3.2. Does vocational education pay off? 3.2. Reflection
  1. 3.3. Teachers’ wage models 3.3. Reflection
4.
Education as a ladder of social mobility
Introduction
  1. 4.1. Studying in Estonian-medium schools supports the integration of ethnic minorities 4.1. Reflection
  1. 4.2. How do we design a school network that adapts to declining pupil numbers while supporting educational goals and regional development? 4.2. Reflection
  1. 4.3. Educational inequality in life expectancy and ways to reduce it 4.3. Reflection
  1. 4.4. People with higher education value solidarity and innovation more, while security is valued equally across educational levels 4.4. Reflection
5.
Software updated – but what about learning?
Introduction
  1. 5.1. Smart digital learning resources are evolving into an adaptive ecosystem 5.1. Reflection
  1. 5.2. Smart use of artificial intelligence requires human intelligence 5.2. Reflection
  1. 5.3. Estonia’s education system in the winds of technological and legal change 5.3. Reflection
  1. 5.4. Today’s classrooms require digital innovation 5.4. Reflection
6.
Sustainability in the mirror of education
Introduction
  1. 6.1. Education is only one stone in the foundation of a sustainable lifestyle 6.1. Reflection
  1. 6.2. Local schools and sustainable mobility as prerequisites for independent school travel 6.2. Reflection
  1. 6.3. Educational institutions can bridge the gap between climate awareness and climate-responsible behaviour 6.3. Reflection
  1. 6.4. Supporting sustainability in education requires changes not only in content but also in teaching methods 6.4. Reflection
7.
Education as the foundation of a safe society
Introduction
  1. 7.1. Pupils’ needs are a reality schools must address 7.1. Reflection
  1. 7.2. Patterns and causes of juvenile offending: School, family and the digital environment 7.2. Reflection
  1. 7.3. From punishment to prevention in youth offending 7.3. Reflection
  1. 7.4. Extracurricular education as an investment in Estonia’s security 7.4. Reflection
  1. 7.5. Higher educational attainment reduces the risk of offending 7.5. Reflection
Estonian education 2050 Contributors For the media Information

Reflection

Ivo Visak

Systemic shortcomings. Does a young person studying in Kärdla have the same educational and extracurricular opportunities as a young person in Tallinn? As a school leader working in Saaremaa, I would very much like this to be the case, yet in reality access to diverse extracurricular activities and learning opportunities for gifted pupils – such as participation in university-based educational programmes at upper secondary level – is limited. This is understandable given geographical particularities, but the state, municipalities and the education system as a whole must create compensatory solutions – for example, by providing transport and accommodation support.

An even broader problem is the shortage of support services: there are not enough school psychologists, special education teachers or social pedagogues. Waiting lists for assistance, particularly in cases involving mental health disorders, are long. Support that is needed immediately is often available only after three months, which may endanger a pupil’s mental and physical health. What is required is not only healthcare reform but also reform in education policy: all children must be guaranteed access to professional support, regardless of their family’s financial means or place of residence.

It bears repeating that it is essential to invest in support specialists – special education teachers, educational psychologists and social workers – in order to provide assistance both to gifted pupils and to those experiencing difficulties.

The past teaches, the past lingers. Why do certain school practices persist even though it has been pointed out for decades that they are not healthy for teachers or pupils? For example, the accumulation of homework in the context of the AI leap is absurd: will teachers soon be assessing homework produced by pupils’ artificial intelligence with the help of their own artificial intelligence? It would be more sensible to find ways to manage new technologies and harness them to support learning, under teachers’ guidance.

We must accept that times have changed. A new generation is different and requires a different approach. Schools cannot assume that all pupils arrive with prior knowledge of certain learning styles, communication practices or behavioural norms. Although the primary task of the school is teaching, schools must still provide values education. Children who do not acquire the skills needed for life at home must gain them at school, with the support of caring and attentive teachers.