Estonia emerged as a top performer on pisa 2012, ranking in the top tier in science and close to the top in reading and mathematics among all participating countries and regions

Context
Estonia emerged as a top performer on PISA 2012, ranking in the top tier in science and close to the top in reading and mathematics among all participating countries and regions. By 2018, Estonia had become a top performer globally in all three subjects and the highest performer in Europe. In addition, Estonian performance is relatively equitable with respect to socioeconomic background. Among OECD nations, Estonia has the highest percentage of resilient students, defined as those in the lowest quartile of socioeconomic status who perform in the highest quartile on PISA within their own country. The share of low-performing Estonian students in reading on PISA 2018 was less than half the OECD average.
PISA 2018 Mean ScoresUSAEstoniaOECD AvgEstonia

This is a remarkable achievement for a country of just over one million citizens that gained independence only in 1991. Since that year, the Estonian economy has grown nearly eightfold, with its information technology sector central to that growth. Estonia deliberately created an education system equipped to support the high-tech, high-skill, high-wage economy it was focused on building. As part of this national strategy to create an information society, it created the Tiger Leap project to provide all schools with computers and Internet access. The ProgeTiger program, launched in 2012, built on Tiger Leap by providing schools with instructional resources and professional learning opportunities around digital literacy. The ProgeTiger program continues today and is focused on building skills in three areas: design and technology; engineering sciences; and information and communication technologies.
In addition to its focus on technology, Estonia steadily built a new education system following independence from the Soviet Union. Key education reforms in Estonia have included development of a new national curriculum and ongoing adaptation of that curriculum to the needs of a new economy; revamped teacher education to incorporate innovative practices, provide mentorships, and require a master’s degree; guaranteed all children access to early childhood programs; and strengthened vocational education and training.
In 2014, Estonia adopted the Lifelong Learning Strategy 2020 to guide education reforms for preschool, primary and secondary education, higher education, and adult learning. The strategy called for a focus on the acquisition of learning skills and creativity; developing competent and motivated teachers and school leaders; creating lifelong learning opportunities matched to the needs of the labor market; and ensuring a digital focus and equal opportunities to participate in lifelong learning. A new education strategy for 2021-2035 has been adopted to guide the next period and is part of a larger national plan known as Estonia 2035: A Smart and Active Estonia plan which focuses on broad goals of citizen health, preparedness for change ,and fostering a positive relationship with the environment.
Estonia’s education system still faces challenges. As its teaching force ages, the country is struggling to recruit new teachers. Teacher salaries have risen in recent years, but they still lag behind those of other professionals in Estonia. Estonia also faces an achievement gap between its Estonian-language and Russian-language speaking students. About 14 percent of basic schools, which provide primary and lower secondary education in Estonia, use Russian as the language of instruction, and these students perform below their Estonian-speaking peers on PISA and national examinations. More than a quarter of households in Estonia are Russian-speaking. 
Quick Facts
Population: 1.2 million
Population growth rate: -0.69%
Demographic makeup: 69% Estonian, 25% Russian, 2% Ukrainian, 1% Belarusian, 3% Other
Source: CIA World Factbook, 2021
GDP: $48.987 billion
GDP per capita: $36,927 (2019 estimate in 2010 dollars)
Source: CIA World Factbook, 2021
Unemployment rate: 6.79%
Youth unemployment rate: 11.8%