The collapse occurred earlier this month in a wing of the school building built in 1960, as crews were renovating its utility systems. The city is awaiting the results of an expert assessment before deciding whether to rebuild the wing as it was or pursue a larger addition.

Tartu Deputy Mayor Martin Bek said the assessment will also cover an adjacent section built in 1962, whose foundation also needs reinforcement. Options include adding a third floor or a basement.

MHG principal Ene Tannberg said an addition would make sense, given the school is already tight on space.

"If we're going to rebuild it, there's no point in building an exact copy of it," Tannberg said, adding that what the school needs is a bigger, more functional space.

She said students currently attend school in shifts, with first and second grade classes attending in the afternoon, adding that other big-ticket needs include a bigger cafeteria, space for support specialists and an elevator.

The City of Tartu had budgeted €6 million for renovations at MHG, but the wall collapse is now expected to add several million euros to the bill.

Bek, however, said the additional cost will not come at the expense of other school renovation projects, adding that cuts will need to be made elsewhere.

"We still want to completely overhaul Veeriku School during this period as well," the deputy mayor noted. "There's currently no reason to believe anything will be delayed because of this."

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