Estonia Halts New School Admissions System Over Reliability Fears
Estonia's Ministry of Education and Science has postponed the spring 2026 launch of its unified national school admissions platform, SAIS3, after technical testing revealed the system was not ready for mass use, forcing a reversion to older platforms amid a major education reform.
- —Estonia's Ministry of Education and Science has decided to postpone the implementation of the new unified national information system for school admissions, SAIS3, for the spring 2026 intake.
- —The decision to delay SAIS3, initially planned for use in spring 2026, was made after technical analysis and testing revealed that achieving reliable system performance within the planned timeframe was not possible.
- —Instead, the spring 2026 admissions process will utilize existing, familiar platforms such as SAIS2, sisseastumine.ee, or school-specific solutions, allowing schools additional time for data entry, operational adjustments, and staff training.
- —The mandatory continuation of education until age 18 for all basic school graduates is coming into effect this year, with the main admission period for general secondary and vocational education beginning on March 30 and concluding on June 30.
- —The Ministry aims to have SAIS3 fully ready for educational institutions by the start of the 2026/2027 academic year, September 1, 2026, providing approximately seven months for familiarization before the next admission period in March 2027.
Recap
The delay of Estonia's SAIS3 system is a calculated retreat from a high-risk IT deployment. By prioritizing operational stability over a politically-driven deadline, the ministry is mitigating a potential administrative collapse during a critical education reform. This decision underscores the persistent gap between digital transformation ambitions and the practical realities of executing large-scale public sector IT projects, even in a nation known for its e-governance.