If you've been reading Estonian newspapers lately, you might have come across the dispute around the Metsküla Elementary School. It started last March when the Lääneranna Rural Municipality in Pärnu County decided to abruptly close the school as part of a reorganization their school network. The school and parents started a campaign to keep the school going, an effort that is ongoing.
Public opinion has mainly been supportive of the school’s struggle for survival. In June 2023, Metsküla Elementary School was named School of the Year by ERR (the Estonian Broadcasting Company). For years, the school has been a model for contemporary student-led pedagogy. Each student has their own individualized learning path and there are no numerical assessments until fifth grade. Despite the size of the school, it has actively participated in international twinning projects and has been able to offer the pupils opportunities to learn coding, robotics, and more. And the school has shown results when it comes to learning. For instance, its pupils have won county competitions.
