Chancellor of Justice Ülle Madis asked the Ministry of Education and Research whether a primary school student can redo work that has already been positively assessed. Madis wanted to know if and when a school can give a student the right to redo work.
The ministry's representative Marjeta Venno responded that if schools were obliged to allow students to redo work, it would increase teachers' workload. Teachers would have to prepare and conduct follow-up tasks.
Venno said that many students might do the work initially just to try it out, knowing they can redo it later. This would often make the initial work a joke.
However, Venno noted that the learner's improved knowledge can be taken into account. Repeated testing can be useful. A teacher can repeatedly test to help students develop.
The ministry's representative said that a school can allow a student to redo work if it supports the student's development. The teacher can assess whether the student's work has failed.
In response to the Chancellor of Justice's question of whether a teacher can allow redoing work without the conditions specified in the school curriculum, Venno said that it should not be restricted. The teacher has autonomy in teaching and assessing their subject.
Estonian schools have the right to create their own assessment guidelines. For example, Treffner High School's guidelines state that a teacher can allow retaking a positive grade. Häädemeeste Secondary School's guidelines allow it with a teacher's agreement. Some schools do not mention retaking positive grades in their guidelines.