Inquiry regarding educational inequality (no. 795)
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 6th sitting, plenary sitting
Date: 2025-09-15 22:49
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 49
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 36m
AI Summaries: 49/49 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The Riigikogu discussed an interpellation concerning educational inequality, which was submitted by members of the Social Democratic Party and the Centre Party (Heljo Pikhof, Ester Karuse, et al.). The rapporteur for the interpellation, Heljo Pikhof, emphasized that although Estonia’s PISA results are high, they mask a deepening inequality rooted in socio-economic background, which is evident both in learning outcomes and the accessibility of extracurricular education. Pikhof highlighted the large differences in family incomes between schools (median incomes ranging from €1,000 to €4,500) and asked the Minister why the coalition agreement lacks concrete steps to reduce this inequality.
The Minister of Education and Research, Kristina Kallas, acknowledged that the impact of socio-economic background on learning outcomes (especially in mathematics) has grown, but stressed that the available data (PISA 2023 and the Foresight Centre’s short report) are incomplete and do not show a causal link. The Minister disputed the notion that the problem lies directly within the education system (e.g., teacher salaries), suggesting instead that it stems from societal segregation, where wealthier families concentrate in certain regions and schools. Kallas was cautious about adopting Nordic models (e.g., additional funding for weaker schools), citing a lack of evidence regarding the effectiveness of these measures in the Estonian context. During the debate, the importance of extracurricular education and support services (including extended-day schools and coaches) in alleviating social inequality was highlighted. Minister Kallas mentioned analyzing a per capita funding system for extracurricular education, based on the Icelandic model, as a potential solution. Madis Kallas brought up transportation problems during the discussions, which prevent children in rural areas from participating in extracurricular activities.
Decisions Made 1
Decisions were not made
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Arvo Aller announced the commencement of the ninth item on the agenda, which was an interpellation submitted by members of the Riigikogu regarding educational inequality, and invited Riigikogu member Heljo Pikhof to the podium to present the report.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller announced that they would proceed to the ninth item on the agenda, which addresses an interpellation concerning educational inequality, and for which Riigikogu member Heljo Pikhof is requested to serve as the rapporteur.
Heljo Pikhof
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Heljo Pikhof submitted an inquiry concerning educational inequality, criticizing the current funding model for failing to sufficiently consider a child's socio-economic background. She highlighted practices from the Nordic countries, Canada, and Ireland, and presented the minister with eight questions and associated proposals aimed at reducing regional inequality, ensuring the availability of support services, mitigating inequality resulting from the transition to Estonian-language instruction, improving access to hobby education, and narrowing the achievement gap between schools.
Heljo Pikhof
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Heljo Pikhof submitted an inquiry to the minister regarding deepening educational inequality, stressing that a child's educational trajectory and development in Estonia depend too strongly on their parents' income, place of residence, and socio-economic background. This, she argued, deepens social stratification and conceals the disparities lurking behind the high PISA results. The critique stated that the current school funding system does not adequately account for these background factors, and the governing coalition lacks concrete plans to alleviate the situation. Consequently, the minister was asked, via eight specific questions, for explanations and concrete measures detailing how to implement background equalization mechanisms modeled on the Nordic countries, ensure the availability of support services and hobby education, and reduce the significant differences in learning outcomes between schools.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller thanked the previous speaker and announced that the Minister of Education and Research, Kristina Kallas, would next be responding to the interpellation, asking her to come to the rostrum.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The Speaker thanked the previous speaker and announced that the query would be answered by the Minister of Education and Research, Kristina Kallas.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Kristina Kallas noted that although PISA shows the impact of socio-economic background on learning outcomes and school segregation increases inequality, there is still insufficient evidence that the causes lie solely within the school system, and before changing funding, a thorough analysis must be conducted to clarify the roots of the problem.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas acknowledges that the PISA 2023 results indicate a growing influence of socio-economic background on students’ mathematics performance, but she emphasizes that the available data is incomplete and a comprehensive analysis is lacking. She doubts whether the problem lies within the education system itself, suggesting instead that it is more likely related to societal segregation and changes within the school network. Therefore, she argues that the roots of the problem must be investigated more deeply before any intervention measures are implemented.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Arvo Aller announces that there are questions and invites Peeter Ernits to respond.
Peeter Ernits
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Peeter Ernits analyzed preliminary data showing a correlation between mathematics results and the wealth of students' mothers, suggesting that mothers of students attending elite schools (such as Reaalkool, Treffner) are likely more affluent, whereas mothers whose children attend smaller regional schools (like Kullamaa, Elva) are less well-off. He then questioned whether this socioeconomic link is also reflected in the 2020–2024 mathematics results rankings.
Peeter Ernits
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Peeter Ernits pointed out a correlation between mothers' affluence and children's mathematics results, noting that mothers at wealthier schools are more affluent and their children achieve better results, and asked what this means in the context of the 2020–2024 mathematics ranking.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas emphasizes that while a correlation can be seen between students’ mathematics results and the average income of their mothers, this is not a causal relationship. Therefore, intervention measures should not be automatically implemented or additional funding allocated to schools merely based on this dataset; instead, the focus should be on delving into the true root causes of socio-economic disparities, concerning which there is currently insufficient knowledge.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas emphasizes that although there is a correlation between the average income of mothers and schools' mathematics results, this does not prove a causal link. Therefore, we should not immediately intervene or give schools extra funding, because we lack sufficient knowledge about the root causes of socio-economic inequality.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller invites Heljo Pikhof to take the floor.
Heljo Pikhof
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Heljo Pikhof emphasizes that the linear nature of mathematics turns academic underachievement into a critical problem, one that deepens social inequality, because only wealthier parents are able to hire tutors to help their children catch up, while children from poorer families are left struggling without assistance.
Heljo Pikhof
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Heljo Pikhof claims that educational inequality is not comparable to falling behind in mathematics, arguing that if a child does not receive timely help, they will not progress. Meanwhile, wealthy parents hire a private tutor and their children advance, which is why poorer children are already lagging behind.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Kristina Kallas stresses that there is no evidence linking the hiring of private tutors to improved math results, and that a child's academic performance is primarily determined by their learning strategies and the support they receive at home.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas disputes the hypothesis that better mathematics results are directly linked to hiring private tutors, emphasizing that there is no data to substantiate this claim. She argues that a child’s academic success is determined not by the parents’ wallet, but rather by support for learning at home, the existence of learning strategies, and self-regulation skills, in the development of which the home plays a very strong role.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The address is simply a brief request directed at Madis Kallas.
Madis Kallas
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Madis Kallas draws attention to a growing trend where students prefer more distant schools, bypassing their local educational institution. This indicates increasing disparities in school standards even outside major cities. He asks the minister for specific plans on how to support and help those schools catch up whose exam results are less impressive.
Madis Kallas
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Madis Kallas notes that the distance to schools close to home has increased every year, and increasingly more children are moving from their nearest school to another school, a trend which is also expanding into other counties. He asks the ministry whether there are plans for concrete steps to help schools that have become less prominent improve their exam results, while simultaneously emphasizing that the problem does not lie in education itself but in societal changes.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Kristina Kallas said that the mobility of basic school students reflects strong family logistics, and the picture changes significantly when the data for Tallinn and Tartu is excluded, because the morning trajectory of mothers and fathers often takes the children to a school in the city of Tartu.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas stressed that the overall statistics on basic school students' educational migration—which indicate a significant shift away from schools close to home—are substantially skewed by Tallinn and Tartu. This distortion occurs because children are enrolled in schools within these major centers due to parents' work logistics, rather than because of poor quality in rural area schools.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The Deputy Speaker invites Riina Sikkut to take the floor.
Riina Sikkut
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Riina Sikkut stresses the clear correlation between socio-economic background, education, and health, and argues that extending compulsory education until the age of 18 would increase life expectancy more significantly than healthcare interventions. Consequently, to mitigate educational inequality, measures such as hobby education (extracurriculars), study support, and the implementation of all-day schooling should be considered, allowing schools to compensate for deficiencies in home support.
Riina Sikkut
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Riina Sikkut emphasized that one's socio-economic background impacts both health and education, and that to curb educational inequality, schools must offer hobby education, learning support, specialized support staff, school meals, and full-day schooling, because the school can partially compensate for a lack of support at home. Furthermore, extending compulsory education until the age of 18 may likely increase life expectancy more than any single public health measure, a policy which should be analyzed and, where necessary, regionally differentiated.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas believes that while the education system cannot eliminate socio-economic inequality, it must alleviate it by functioning as a social lift. She emphasizes that when it comes to supporting children and helping them rise above their circumstances, non-formal education, coaches, sports clubs, and extended-day schools play a more crucial role than mathematics lessons, adding that local governments should place particularly great emphasis on ensuring the accessibility of these services.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
The education system cannot solve socio-economic inequality, but it can mitigate it by functioning as a social elevator and offering accessible hobby education, after-school programs, support specialists, coaches, and sports activities.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
At the start of the address, Züleyxa Izmailova is invited to take the floor.
Züleyxa Izmailova
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Züleyxa Izmailova asks the Minister to clarify the situation and placement of students with special educational needs who are caught in the achievement gap, emphasizing the necessity of knowing how these students, who require daily support, are currently faring in Estonia.
Züleyxa Izmailova
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Züleyxa Izmailova asks the minister if there is an assessment of the education gap, and if one exists, she requests clarification regarding the current situation today in Estonia for students with special needs and those requiring daily support.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas stated that children with special educational needs tend to congregate in specialized schools, which increases the workload on those schools and widens the educational gap. She added that local municipalities should distribute these children more equitably among schools and avoid allowing one location to dominate, as this is not a viable solution.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas highlighted the Ministry of Education’s deep concern regarding the deepening segregation of children with special educational needs (SEN). She noted that local governments are unfairly concentrating these children in specific schools because other institutions are unprepared to offer them support. This practice widens the educational gap and imposes an excessive workload on the receiving schools, underscoring the necessity for a more equitable distribution of students.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Arvo Aller recognizes Lauri Läänemets.
Lauri Läänemets
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Lauri Läänemets refers to the conviction held by the authors at the Foresight Centre regarding the opportunities and concerns for improving the education system. He demands a clear government action plan and specific stages from the minister detailing how they intend to reduce educational inequality, which is often exacerbated by broader socio-economic problems. At the same time, he stresses the importance of extracurricular activities and the capacity of local municipalities.
Lauri Läänemets
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Lauri Läänemets noted that the education system faces both opportunities for improvement and challenges, and he emphasized the impact of extracurricular education on the capacity of local governments, asking what the government's plans and steps are for reducing inequality, at least within the education system.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas explains that the Ministry of Education intends, based on an analysis by the Foresight Centre, to initiate negotiations with local governments to make the funding of hobby education fairer. They are considering implementing a per capita funding system, modeled after Iceland, which would ensure equal access to activities for all children, as the current funding in Estonia is concentrated among too small a number of children.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
The Minister of Education and Research, Kristina Kallas, emphasizes the importance of extracurricular activities, citing Iceland's per-head funding model as an example, and argues that Estonia could adopt a similar system to make hobby education more accessible and democratic. She also mentions that Tartu has already piloted this approach and notes the significant role of local governments.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Tiit Maran is being called to the stage during the address.
Tiit Maran
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Tiit Maran stresses the paramount importance of non-formal environmental and nature education, especially given the gravity of the environmental situation. He questions why the Ministry of Climate is reducing support for this field, while simultaneously demanding the same level of cooperation with the ministry as is planned with local governments, in order to ensure that education remains accessible in the regions, particularly in light of the closure of local centers there.
Tiit Maran
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Tiit Maran expressed concern that informal nature and environmental education has been reduced within the ministries, and asked whether it should not also be linked to the Ministry of Climate. He emphasized that the topic must be represented both through cooperation among local governments and in the regions, not just in Tallinn, especially against the backdrop of the closure of centers.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Kristina Kallas emphasized cooperation with the Ministry of Climate and explained that the Riigikogu amendment allows non-formal nature education activities to be counted as part of formal education, thereby encouraging schools to conduct activities outside the classroom, but she did not provide an answer regarding the scope of the Ministry of Climate's funding.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
The Minister of Education and Research, Kristina Kallas, confirms cooperation with the Ministry of Climate and emphasizes that while she is unable to answer questions regarding funding, an amendment has been introduced to the Basic School and Gymnasium Act. This change permits non-formal nature education to be recognized as part of the formal curriculum, thereby encouraging children to engage in activities outside the classroom.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Arvo Aller concluded the Q&A session and subsequently opened the floor for debate, inviting Madis Kallas, the representative of the interpellators, to the rostrum.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
There are no further questions. I now open the debate, and as the representative of the interpellators, I call upon Madis Kallas.
Madis Kallas
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Madis Kallas draws attention to the deepening educational inequality, which is closely linked to the accessibility of extracurricular education. He emphasizes that the main bottlenecks are inadequate transportation for children in sparsely populated areas to reach larger hobby centers, and the significant costs incurred by parents (sometimes exceeding 90% in certain months) related to participation in competitions and contests. Therefore, to reduce this inequality, every child must be guaranteed the opportunity to participate in hobby activities, thereby preventing young people from falling by the wayside.
Madis Kallas
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Madis Kallas notes that educational inequality is deepening, and the solution lies in ensuring equal access to hobby education for all children. This is because transport problems arise in sparsely populated areas, and the concentration of major competitions and events in cities creates significant inequality, which can lead children to engage in activities we do not want.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller closed the discussions following the minister’s reply, confirmed the completion of the ninth agenda item, and announced that the tenth agenda item, along with the interpellation, had been withdrawn from the agenda at the request of the initiators.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Arvo Aller concluded the debate, announced that the ninth item on the agenda had been completed, and that the tenth agenda item and the interpellation had been removed from the agenda at the request of the initiators.