11th graders to miss out on Estonia's final funded Cambridge English exam
Growing demand for the Cambridge C1 English exam means some Estonian 11th graders may miss out on the final state-funded round as high school seniors get priority access.
For the past seven years, the state has covered the cost of the Cambridge Assessment English C1 Advanced exam, which certifies English proficiency at the C1 level under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
While high school seniors have increasingly elected to take the internationally recognized exam alongside Estonia's own B2-level English state exam, next spring will mark the last time the former is publicly funded.
"The total contract has been worth about €2 million, spread over these years," said Marika Peekmann, an adviser at the Ministry of Education and Research. "We've now increased it somewhat to allow as many students as possible to take the exam this final round."
The funding will cover exams for 3,100 high school seniors next spring, 900 more than originally planned.
First come, first serve
At Mustamäe State High School in Tallinn, however, nearly 90 percent of seniors took the Cambridge exam last year.
With younger students left to compete for any remaining spots on a first-come, first-served basis, the school decided not to send its 11th graders at all.
"It's still very unclear how many 11th graders would theoretically even get a chance if 12th graders are given priority for the exam," said Martin Arro, an English teacher at the school.
"We want students to take the exam only once they're properly prepared, have completed the curriculum and feel confident going into it," he added.
Under current plans, 12th graders will be able to register for the Cambridge exam first, with younger students allowed to sign up if any space remains. But some schools say they learned of the priority system too late to adjust their plans.
'What happened to caring about students?'
At Vinni-Pajusti High School in Lääne-Viru County, one English teacher said 19 students took a preliminary exam in early September without being told they might not be able to take the actual exam.
The school only learned that seniors would get priority at an info session held by the Education and Youth Board (Harno) in late October.
"We can't simply tell students now that they won't be able to take it," the teacher said. "Whatever happened to caring about students and doing what's best for them?"
The ministry stressed that students will still be able to take the Cambridge exam privately, at a cost of several hundred euros, or take the B2-level state English exam.
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Editor: Johanna Alvin, Aili Vahtla
