Legislation

The decree of Minister of Education

Passed July 1, 1999 Nr.41 (RTL, 1999, 109, 1396)

Entered into force July 18, 1999

Basing on the Article 51, part 1 of the Language Act (ÏÀÝ, 1995, 17/18, 334; 1996, 31/32, 739; 35, 773; 1997, 54, 1110; RT I, 1998, 98/99, 1618; ÏÀÝ, 1999, 2, 1; 15, 275) the Minister of Education decides:

1. To assert the Procedure of conducting the language proficiency exam in order to define the level of proficiency (added).

2. To recognize non-valid the decision of the Minister of Culture and Education from July 9, 1993, Nr. 10 on Organizing the Estonian Language Training for the Language Non-proficient Grownup Population (RTL, 1993, 16, p. 438)

The Minister of Education Tõnis Lukas

Chancellor Peep Ratas

I. General Provisions

1. The present Order establishes the procedure of registering for the exam conducted in order to define the Estonian language proficiency (further "Exam"), the procedure of the exam and also the exam for people with special needs, appraising and making official the results of the exam, solving the applications, complains and particular opinions.

2. The exams are brought by the State Exam and Qualification Center (SEQC). (The decision of the Minister of Education from April 5, 2002 Nr. 30, in force from April 14, 2002)

3. The proposals to improve the procedure and to develop the exam system can be made to the Minister of Education by the Counseling Commission of the Minister.

4. Within the exam four skills are checked:

• Listening and understanding
• Reading and understanding
• Writing skills
• Spoken language

5. The exam is held in a form of a test.

6. There are three levels of the language proficiency tests:

• The Lowest level
• The Medium level
• The Highest level

II. The State Examining Commission

7. The stuff of the State Examining Commissions (further "Examining Commission") is approved by the Minister of Education.

8. The stuff of the Examining Commission includes two examiners, when one of them is also a chairman of the commission.

9. The examiner is a philologist, who has at least a graduate degree.

10. The examiners are paid in conformity with the amount of people being examined. The travel expenses are compensated according to the Order decided by the Government of the Republic.

11. Education and qualification promotion of the examiners is organized by the SEQC. (The decision of the Minister of Education from July 5, 2002, Nr. 30, in force from July 14, 2002.)

III. The Examination Materials

12. The tests are provided by the SEQC. The test in which the structure, amount of the assignments and time estimated for their fulfillment is known, is published as an example test. (The decision of the Minister of Education from July 5, 2002, Nr. 30, in force from July 14, 2002.)

13. The SEQC provides a new test for each coming exam. (The decision of the Minister of Education from July 5, 2002, Nr. 30, in force from July 14, 2002.)

14. The SEQC is responsible for the exam materials. Compilers of the tests, examiners and others related according to their office to the tests are obliged to keep the assignments and the tests in secret. (The decision of the Minister of Education from July 5, 2002, Nr. 30, in force from July 14, 2002.)

IV. The Registration for the Exam

15. The registration for the exam is held in the publicly announced centers. Persons registering for the exam must submit:

• A completed application form
• A copy of valid ID
• A document certifying the lack of eye, hearing, speech or physical abilities (further "person with the special needs")

(The decision of the Minister of Education from July 5, 2002, Nr. 30, in force from July 14, 2002.)

16. It is possible to register only for one exam. The exam can be repeated in three months after the first exam was taken. (The decision of the Minister of Education from July 5, 2002, Nr. 30, in force from July 14, 2002.)

17. When registering for the exam an applicant is given a note with the information about organization of the exam and pre-exam consultations.

18. Within 30 days since the registration, the SEQC in writing informs the person registered about the date, time and place of the exam. (The decision of the Minister of Education from July 5, 2002, Nr. 30, in force from July 14, 2002.)

V. The Procedure of the Exam

19. The exam is held once a month, on the same day in all the centers.

20. The exam is held only in those centers where at least 10 people registered. If in several months less than 10 people registered for the exam, it does not take place in this center but the SEQC proposes the applicants to take the exam in the nearest center. The maximum amount of people taking the exam is 18. (The decision of the Minister of Education from July 5, 2002, Nr. 30, in force from July 14, 2002.)

21. The SEQC prepares the examination material sets and organizes their delivery to the examination center. The set consists of:

• The accompanying letter about passing the exam for the contact person at the examining center
• The accompanying letter about passing the exam for the SEQC
• The version of the test in a sealed envelope
• The form of the protocols about the procedure of the exam
• The form of the protocols about passing the exam
• The form of the protocol on apprising the exam (about the written and spoken part)
• An envelope for returning the exam
• An envelope for returning the protocols

(The decision of the Minister of Education from July 5, 2002, Nr. 30, in force from July 14, 2002.)

22. The applicant is admitted to the exam only after submitting the valid ID.

23. Before the exam starts the examining commission must introduce the procedure of the exam.

24. Except the examiners of the SEQC and the persons taking the exam, only the representatives of the Ministry of Education and the Counseling Commission are allowed to be present in the exam room. (The decision of the Minister of Education from July 5, 2002, Nr. 30, in force from July 14, 2002.)

VI. Appraising and Making the Results of the Exam Official

25. The exam is appraised by the Examining Commission according to the instructions approved by the decision of the SEQC. (The decision of the Minister of Education from July 5, 2002, Nr. 30, in force from July 14, 2002.)

26. The exam is passed in case the examined person gained 60 percent of the possible amount.

27. The results of the exam are made official by the Examining Commission in the exam protocols (further "protocol").

28. The protocols are signed by the chairman and the member of the Examining Commission. The particular opinion of the Examining Commission's member is marked in the protocol.

29. Those taking the exam are informed about the results within 30 days, starting with the date of the exam. (The decision of the Minister of Education from July 5, 2002, Nr. 30, in force from July 14, 2002.)

30. After appraising the works the Examining Commission sends the exam materials to the SEQC. (The decision of the Minister of Education from July 5, 2002, Nr. 30, in force from July 14, 2002.)

31. The persons who passed the exam receive the certificate of language proficiency issued by the SEQC and based on the exam protocol. (The decision of the Minister of Education from July 5, 2002, Nr. 30, in force from July 14, 2002.)

32. The certificate is given to the person who has to put his/her signature on it.

33. The exam materials are archived in the SEQC for 5 years. (The decision of the Minister of Education from July 5, 2002, Nr. 30, in force from July 14, 2002.)

VII. The Procedure of Exam for the Persons with Special needs

34. When checking the language proficiency of persons with the special needs it is allowed:

• To take the exam also on the different dates
• To free these persons from the assignments which they can not fulfill due to their deficiency

35. When preceding the exam for the persons with the special needs a copy of the document describing their disability must be attached to the protocol.

VIII. Solving the Complaints and Particular Opinions

36. The person can complain to the principal of the SEQC on the work of the Examining Commission and dispute the results of his/her exam within 10 days since receiving the results of the exam. (The decision of the Minister of Education from July 5, 2002, Nr. 30, in force from July 14, 2002.)

37. The complaints and particular opinions are considered by the Commission of Appeal.

38. The stuff and the procedure of work of the Commission of Appeal are decided by the order of the Minister of Education.

39. The Commission of Appeal examines submitted complaints and opinions and informs the persons complaining or the persons having a particular opinion about its decision within 30 days, starting from the day the complaint or the particular opinion was received.

Source: Unofficial translation

http://www.minelres.lv/NationalLegislation/Estonia/Estonia_LangExamProc_English.htm

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