õppeperiood

Õppeperiood is a defined interval during which teaching and learning take place within an educational institution. It is part of the institution’s annual plan and serves to organize curriculum delivery, attendance, and assessment.

In Estonian education, õppeperiood is commonly used to describe a period within the school year, such as a term or a semester. Its exact length and naming vary by level and institution, but it generally has a fixed start and end date and includes scheduled lessons, assignments, tests, and examinations.

Different institutions may structure õppeperiood differently. In basic and secondary education, the school year is often divided into two or more õppeperiood, separated by holidays known as vaheaeg. In higher education, teaching is frequently organized in semesters or other blocks, and an õppeperiood may denote a specific block of teaching within that structure.

Purpose: to standardize the delivery of education, facilitate progress tracking, and support planning and reporting. The term is distinct from vaheaeg (holiday) and õppeaasta (academic year), though it operates within the broader annual cycle.