Thus, one may scratch ones head at the state exam reform allowing the lazy one to pass by scoring just one point: will a non-satisfactory result really count as a pass? Even so, let’s not forget: a 12th grader is as good as a grown-up, likely to be responsible for his/her choices. Secondly: schools will retain the option of assessing the students by school examination – now a must.
With three state exams now mandatory – mother tongue, math and a foreign language –, upper secondary schools /gymnasiums) may now be compared. Up to now, the option wasn’t there. Obviously, if one school shows strong results and the one next door is doing bad – the latter is worse. Standardisation may be cursed, harping on peculiarities in students, school autonomy, local spirit and what not; even so, the dry fact remains: Estonia’s school network needs optimising, both for the sake of teachers and students. And here, comparable state exams results will greatly help.
For the state, the decision has been one of comfort, yet unbiased. Nevertheless: should somebody graduate not knowing how to read, write and calculate – what on earth did he do at school? Should such cases now abound, we will have to be asking: what on earth did the school do?