Estonia’s biggest school is the one of Viimsi, boasting 1,599 kids last year. This time around, they will have 1,779 of them, 245 hitting grade one. Of Estonia’s approximate total of 540 schools, 350 have less students that Viimsi’s 1st grade. Estonia has its biggest schools in Tallinn and Tartu. An exception being the school in Keila, landing 4th last year when it came to numbers. Among the small ones, country schools prevail.
Over the past years, Estonia has seen dozens of schools closed down, and dozens opened. Mostly, high schools have been turned into basic schools. The number of schools like that is a mystery even for the ministry of education, as in some cases the thing is done gradually – not closing down the high school part all at once, but by stages. In some cases, controversial decisions have been taken; in both Mustvee and Kallaste, local powers have announced both closures and non-closures. A peculiar case comes with last year’s smallest school, the Massiaru primary school in Pärnu County. While in 2012 the school taught three students, this year there are none at all – all three having transferred to Häädemeeste high school. Nevertheless, legally the school carries on, with a staff of one teacher paid by the commune.
Estonia’s biggest schools
Number of students as at 2012:
• Viimsi high school 1,599
• Tartu Kivilinna high school 1,439
• Tallinn 21st school 1,167
• Keila school 1,133
• Tallinn Linnamäe Russian lyceum 1,035
Estonia’s smallest schools
Number of students as at 2012:
• Lahu primary school 9
• Lavassaare kindergarten/primary school 9
• Saduküla kindergarten/primary school* 7
• Ruhnu basic school 6
• Massiaru primary school** 3
*) Now closed.
**) Not functioning, yet legally in existence.