Interpellation regarding the organization of basic school final examinations and the continuation of studies in gymnasium (No. 801)

Session: The 15th Riigikogu, 6th Session, Plenary Sitting

Date: 2025-10-07 00:20

Participating Politicians:

Total Speeches: 17

Membership: 15

Agenda Duration: 20m

AI Summaries: 17/17 Speeches (100.0%)

Analysis: Structured Analysis

Politicians Speaking Time

Politicians

Analysis

Summary

The Riigikogu debated an interpellation submitted by Riina Solman, Helir-Valdor Seeder, and Mart Maastik regarding the organization of basic school leaving exams and gymnasium admissions. The submitter, Riina Solman, sharply criticized the Ministry of Education’s decision to move the final exams earlier, which, in her estimation, increased the mental burden and stress on children, leaving little time for quality revision. She also faulted state gymnasiums for not taking re-examination results into account during admissions and for closing the acceptance of applications before the exams had even taken place.

Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas defended the changes, arguing that the previous system caused students longer and greater stress, as tests and admissions occurred parallel to regular studies over several months. The Minister confirmed that moving the exams earlier did not negatively affect results and that, thanks to the change, many state schools dropped entrance examinations entirely. Kallas also explained the reasoning behind abolishing re-examinations, noting that they masked actual learning gaps. Children who do not pass the final exams are now provided with a preparatory year in the next educational stage so that these gaps can be covered, thereby preventing them from dropping out of the education system. Madis Kallas posed an additional question about the future of Saaremaa gymnasiums (especially Orissaare and Kuressaare Adult Gymnasium), to which the Minister replied that there are no plans for closure in the coming years.

Decisions Made 1
Collective Decision

Decisions were not made

Most Active Speaker
Riina Solman
Riina Solman

Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmed

Riina Solman was the most active speaker, submitting an interpellation, asking a follow-up question, and delivering a speech during the debate. She represented the views of the interpellators, criticizing the changes proposed by the Ministry of Education (other/opposition).

Esimees Lauri Hussar
00:20:28
AI Summary

Chairman Lauri Hussar announced that the next item on the agenda was an interpellation submitted by Riigikogu members Riina Solman, Helir-Valdor Seeder, and Mart Maastik, concerning the organization of basic school final exams and the continuation of studies in upper secondary school (gymnasium). He then invited Riina Solman to present it at the rostrum.

Riina Solman
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmed
00:20:55
AI Summary

Riina Solman voiced concerns regarding the management of the education system, particularly focusing on the earlier scheduling of this year’s basic school final exams. This change has caused significant stress and mental strain among students and parents, as preparation for the exams had to occur simultaneously with regular daily schoolwork. She questioned the minister about the impact this had on children’s mental health and their exam results. Furthermore, she demanded a nationwide solution ensuring that admissions to high schools (gymnasiums) would only take place after all final and retake exams have been completed. This is necessary to prevent a situation where students’ improved results might otherwise be overlooked.

Esimees Lauri Hussar
00:25:26
AI Summary

Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas and called her back to the Riigikogu rostrum so that she could answer the interpellation that had been submitted.

Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
00:25:40
AI Summary

Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas explains that while the current system compresses the stressful period of basic school completion and gymnasium admission into a single month, delaying the submission of applications until after the final exams is complicated. This is because gymnasiums require time to carry out entrance examinations, and organizing admissions after Midsummer (Jaanipäev) is impossible due to teacher holidays. Nevertheless, bringing the exams forward this year resulted in the cancellation of entrance tests at many state schools, which significantly reduced student stress without negatively affecting academic results.

Esimees Lauri Hussar
00:28:13
AI Summary

Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked the minister, noting that he had at least one question to pose, and subsequently gave the floor to Riina Solman.

Riina Solman
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmed
00:28:18
AI Summary

Riina Solman greeted the Speaker of the Riigikogu and raised a brief procedural question, inquiring whether she was permitted to ask only one question.

Esimees Lauri Hussar
00:28:22
AI Summary

Chairman Lauri Hussar stressed that the response to the interpellation would be limited to just one question.

Riina Solman
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmed
00:28:27
AI Summary

Riina Solman emphasizes that previous inquiries must be answered, and demands a thorough analysis from the minister regarding whether the earlier scheduling of basic school final exams allowed students to acquire high-quality knowledge and fully cover the curriculum, given teachers' concerns about the shortened preparation time.

Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
00:29:25
AI Summary

Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas explains that a thorough analysis of the quality of subjects would require establishing national exams in all subjects, which is not feasible to implement. She added that in those subjects where final exams were held, the results did not significantly change despite the timing.

Esimees Lauri Hussar
00:30:03
AI Summary

Chairman Lauri Hussar. Madis Kallas was invited to the podium to deliver his presentation or address.

Madis Kallas
Madis Kallas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmed
00:30:05
AI Summary

Madis Kallas raised concerns regarding the differences in the accessibility of local upper secondary schools across Estonia and asked the minister to present further analyses concerning the situation on Saaremaa. This was done to assess the extent of the educational crisis that Orissaare Gymnasium and Kuressaare Adult Gymnasium helped avert by guaranteeing a study placement for every young person on Saaremaa.

Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
00:31:11
AI Summary

Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas clarified that the closure of Kuressaare Adult Gymnasium is not being planned. Instead, negotiations are underway regarding its transfer to the state, the goal being to standardize it with other adult gymnasiums. It was also confirmed that the need to close Orissaare Gymnasium would only arise in the long term, around 2030, when graduating cohorts decrease in size and could be accommodated by educational institutions in Kuressaare.

Esimees Lauri Hussar
00:32:35
AI Summary

Speaker Lauri Hussar concluded the round of questions directed at the minister, thanked him, and then gave the floor to Riina Solman, the representative of the interpellators, to open the debate.

Riina Solman
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmed
00:32:52
AI Summary

Riina Solman criticizes the Minister of Education for excessive self-confidence and for disregarding feedback from teachers and parents, stressing that the current policy—which allows students to graduate with failing grades and eliminates the option of retaking exams—undermines students' ability to mature, lowers the quality of education, and leaves unresolved the question of how secondary education can be guaranteed for students who have gaps in their knowledge.

Esimees Lauri Hussar
00:35:55
AI Summary

Chairman Lauri Hussar, having thanked everyone and confirmed that there were no further requests to speak, then gave the floor to the minister, inviting him/her to the Riigikogu rostrum.

Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
00:36:13
AI Summary

The Minister of Education and Research, Kristina Kallas, explains that basic school final exams will remain, but the remedial exams, which previously masked students' actual learning gaps, will be abolished. The goal of this system change is to ensure the compulsory learning requirement is met and to offer special support—and potentially an additional preparatory year in state schools—to those who fail to meet the 50% passing threshold on the exam. This measure aims to eliminate learning gaps before students move on to the next educational level, simultaneously solving the previous system's problem where admission to gymnasium (upper secondary school) occurred before the final exams were even taken.

Esimees Lauri Hussar
00:40:56
AI Summary

Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked the esteemed Minister and subsequently closed the discussions, thereby concluding the consideration of the ninth item on the agenda.