Keeping tiny rural schools alive is becoming increasingly difficult, especially once total enrollment drops below 20 students, but educators and communities say with enough local support and flexibility, they still have a chance.

Since 2024, the state has offered financial support to small rural basic schools.  Kadi Serbak, an Education Infrastructure and Network Department adviser at the Ministry of Education and Research, said the goal is to ensure children can complete at least their first six years of school close to home, even if there are few kids in the area.

This support is available only to municipal schools in sparsely populated rural areas and generally requires at least 20 students. Private schools do not qualify.

"That 20-student threshold is straight out of the coalition agreement," Serbak said, noting it was a political agreement. "There has to be a line drawn somewhere."

Extra pay, links to bigger schools

The funding can be used flexibly, including for teacher pay, support specialists, repairs or other school expenses. But the ministry adviser acknowledged the program doesn't solve one of the biggest problems facing small schools: staffing.

Small schools can't offer teachers full-time work, but Serbak confirmed support funding can be used to bump up teachers' pay instead. "We don't want to see small schools shut down," she stressed.

The figures are reviewed annually, and current data show just under two dozen schools nationwide with fewer than 20 students.

One such school is Varbla School in Western Estonia, which currently has just 11 students. To help keep it running, the local village society decided to financially support families whose kids attend the school.

Varbla School is part of the larger Lääneranna High School, which principal Rasmus Lippur said helps share teachers and resources across several locations.

"That's where being part of a larger school really helps," he said.

Six teachers currently teach at Varbla School, Lippur added, some of whom also teach at the high school's other locations or take on additional duties.

Future enrollment often uncertain

Keeping a small school open doesn't guarantee students will remain in the same system long term, but it may help. After 6th grade, Varbla students continuing at Lääneranna High School have to commute nearly 40 kilometers to Lihula for school.

Lippur said if both current 6th graders do opt to remain with Lääneranna High School, that will mean a retention rate of 100 percent.

Enrollment also remains uncertain. Varbla School currently has no first graders, although the principal noted three applications for enrollment have already been submitted for this fall.

Despite the financial strain, supporters say small schools play an important social role in rural communities by helping keep families from moving away.

They can also offer calmer, more personal learning environments for children who may need extra attention in the classroom.

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and X and never miss an update!