Villy Lopman and Elvi Tuisk: a legal view of the closure of high schools

RASK lawyers Villy Lopman and Elvi Tuisk

School closures are a controversial topic that affects many. Therefore, when adopting such decisions, their impact must be considered objectively and thoroughly, including the persons affected by the decision.

Previous judicial practice shows that many mistakes have been made repeatedly when making such decisions, which led to illegality of the decisions.

Optimizing the education network is in full swing in Estonia. More specifically, the state has started negotiations with local governments about closing gymnasiums. The idea is to adapt the education network to demographic changes and ensure a more optimal use of resources. Such decisions are never isolated in their impact – they affect the future of children and their families, the sustainability of smaller regions, regional policy and the country as a whole. Therefore, any decision to close or not to close a high school must be well made. In other words, the decision must be preceded by a thorough or legitimate procedure.