The transition to Estonian-language education is set to begin in kindergartens and 1st and 4th grades in 2024, with the aim of completing the process by 2030, as stated in the coalition agreement.
Achieving this goal will require increasing the volume of teaching in Estonian at all levels of education and ensuring the availability of teachers with the necessary language skills. To support this, the Estonian Education Strategy will invest an additional 300 million euros from the state budget over the next four years, with an additional 46 million euros provided by the EU Structural Funds.
- On October 13th, 2022, the government approved a detailed action plan prepared by the Ministry of Education and Research for transitioning to Estonian-language education. The government also submitted a draft legislation to the Riigikogu that includes the necessary amendments to the Basic Schools and Upper Secondary Schools Act, the Preschool Child Care Institutions Act, the Vocational Educational Institutions Act, the Private Schools Act, and the Language Act.
- On December 12th, 2022, the Riigikogu adopted the necessary amendments for a full transition to Estonian-language education.
FAQ
Were teachers in general education schools granted an extension to comply with language requirements?Teachers working in general education schools, who teach in a language other than Estonian and who are required to speak Estonian at level B2, are given time until 1 August 2025 to bring their language skills up to the required level. |
What are the language requirements for teachers in international schools?For teachers working on the basis of the international curriculum, who have worked in Estonia for at least five years, the requirement to speak Estonian at level B1 will be valid from 1 September 2026, i.e. until then, these employees will be able to bring their knowledge of the Estonian language to the required level. |
What actions is the Ministry taking to ensure a sufficient number of Estonian-speaking teachers in schools?As the transition to teaching in Estonian progresses, the demand for teachers is gradually increasing. The transition will start in the 2024/2025 school year in grades 1 and 4. It is crucial to prioritize meeting the needs of these transitional grades and continue this approach in subsequent years. |
Which teachers will receive pay supplements and will there be any additional conditions attached to the pay rise?Higher wages are calculated in Ida-Virumaa for:
The detailed conditions are laid down in a ministerial decree. See more The situation in Tallinn and Harju County is similar but has notable differences. For example, there are over 1500 educators in Ida-Viru County who do not meet the required language proficiency level, compared to over 600 in Harju County. Due to the regional human resources, it is more challenging to address this issue in Ida-Viru County. Additionally, it is more difficult to provide an Estonian-language environment and participate in Estonian-medium extracurricular education, which significantly impacts language development. Furthermore, those who wish to contribute to Estonian-medium teaching in Ida-Viru County would need to relocate, reorganize their personal lives, and cover the costs associated with moving or increased transportation expenses. |
Who else will the pay coefficient apply to?Although the initial plan was to apply the pay coefficient to Estonian-speaking nursery school and general education school teachers in Ida-Viru County, the plan now includes the heads of educational institutions and support specialists. The exact conditions are currently being developed. The detailed conditions are laid down in a ministerial decree. See more |
How will teachers be motivated outside Ida-Viru County?Outside Ida-Viru County, school owners will be allocated a capitation fee based on the number of students, which can be used to provide additional pay to teachers. Applying for a benefit based on the number of students was possible already in 2022 for students in grades where at least 40% of the studies were in Estonian. In 2023, it will be possible for school owners to apply for a capitation fee for students in grades where at least 60% of the studies are in Estonian. The capitation fee will continue to apply for language immersion grades. Read more: www.hm.ee/keeleoppetoetused |
What becomes of teachers who fail to meet the required level for their language skills?Depending on the position they have or the language they teach, teachers have for years been required to have a B2 or C1 level of proficiency in Estonian. Teachers who do not meet the required level of proficiency in the official language may be offered contracts for a period of one year. Teachers speaking Estonian at level B2 may continue to teach Russian in classes that have not yet transitioned to Estonian-medium learning. Hopefully, a significant number of them will be able to improve their language skills to the required level and continue to contribute to education as teachers. |
Are private school teachers required to speak Estonian at the B2 or C1 proficiency level?Qualification requirements for teachers are the same in state schools, municipal schools and private schools. Teachers must be proficient in Estonian at least at level B2 if they teach their subject in another language (such as Russian) and at least at level C1 if they teach Estonian or a subject in Estonian. |
When are teachers expected to undertake further training or retraining when their work load is already very high?The word retraining is not appropriate in this context. Teachers do not have to retrain, but bring their language skills into line with the requirements. Proficiency in Estonian is necessary in order to be able to carry out teaching and education activities. Pursuant to the Employment Contracts Act, employees are obliged to participate in training to improve their vocational knowledge and skills. Participation in training depends largely on the school’s organisation of work. For example, teachers who have taken part in training can share their experience and materials with colleagues during internal training. |
How many teachers does the state offer professional Estonian courses to?More than 800 teachers started Estonian language courses in autumn 2022. In spring 2023, courses will start for 18 new groups in four cities – Tallinn, Kohtla-Järve, Sillamäe and Narva. The courses are up to levels B1, B2 and C1, and accommodate a total of 300 people. In addition, language courses supported by EU structural funds will become available in 2023 for around 2,500 teachers. |
Is it possible that good teachers with insufficient command of the official language will be replaced by Estonians with secondary education?Since pedagogical competence is also required, subject teachers with an insufficient level of proficiency in Estonian cannot be replaced by teachers with insufficient professional skills. It is the responsibility of the headmaster to assess the teacher’s qualifications and competence. If a very good subject teacher whose knowledge of Estonian is not good enough teaches in school, it is possible to send them to a language course in the first instance to improve their language skills.
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Are there any plans to regulate the number of times a one-year contract can be signed with a teacher whose language skills do not meet the requirements?This could be considered, as a similar restriction is stipulated in the Vocational Educational Institutions Act (according to subsection 39 (10), a teacher may teach for three years in a speciality or field of education for which they do not have the necessary qualification, provided that they have started to acquire the necessary qualification). However, it may not be the most necessary measure. It is more important to provide measures to help schools actually find teachers to replace those on fixed-term contracts who do not make the effort to meet the qualification requirements. |
On which basis can heads of school convert a teacher’s employment contract into a fixed-term contract?Employment contracts will not be converted. Teachers working under a fixed-term contract must also speak Estonian. We cannot transition to Estonian-language education if it is led in schools by teachers who cannot speak Estonian. This is not possible even temporarily or for a fixed period. The requirement for proficiency in Estonian stems from a 2011 regulation of the government, which prescribes that teachers must be proficient in Estonian at least at level B2 if they teach their subject in another language (such as Russian) and at least at level C1 if their subject is Estonian or they teach their subject in Estonian. |
Will the same language requirements apply to teachers in the international department of the Tallinn German Gymnasium?Teachers working in Estonia temporarily are subject to other regulations. Pursuant to the Language Act, the requirements for proficiency in Estonian do not apply if they have worked in Estonia for less than five years. |
Is there an overview of how many more teachers are needed?The Estonian Education Information System (EEIS) does not collect data on the number of teachers missing. As a tool for estimating the replacement demand for teachers, we use data from the 2018 analysis ‘Future outlook for labour and skills requirements: education and research ’ by OSKA (labour market monitoring and future skills forecasting system). According to the analysis, the critical shortage is in covering replacement needs due to the age of teachers, with a particular concern for science and maths teachers. The implementation of inclusive education and, to a certain extent, language immersion may slightly increase the demand for teachers. According to the EEIS data, the Ministry of Education and Science has calculated the annual replacement need for general education teachers due to their age at about 380 teachers (320 posts). Based on the analysis of OSKA, the replacement need for science and maths teachers per year are as follows: 16 physics teachers, 13 chemistry teachers, 15 geography teachers, 15 biology teachers and 60 maths teachers. The figure for class teachers is estimated at 45 teachers (35 posts). As the number of children aged between 7 and 12 is decreasing, the number of teachers needed by 2025 will be around 28 (22 posts). The replacement need for kindergarten teachers due to their age is around 145 kindergarten teachers (140 posts) per year. In addition to the data referred to above, the EEIS data on teachers’ qualifications provide an overview of the potential demand for teachers (teachers who do not meet the qualification requirements are on fixed-term contracts and will be replaced by qualified teachers, where necessary). In the 2021/2022 academic year, there were a total of 16,569 teachers in schools for general education, including 2988 (18%) teachers not meeting the qualification requirements. In the last academic year, there were a total of 8012 teachers in kindergartens, including 1104 (14%) teachers not meeting the qualification requirements. |
What should a person with a university degree, a sense of mission and who wants to become a teacher do if they have no pedagogical training?Teaching pre-school education requires having higher education and pedagogical competences, general education requires a master’s degree, or an equivalent qualification, and a teacher’s qualification. Basic school or secondary school teachers of an elective course must have higher education and pedagogical competences. They must also be proficient in Estonian. There are various ways to acquire the pedagogical competences required in school. As these competences are assessed by heads of school, you should start by contacting the school you want to work in. Tallinn University and the University of Tartu have created an induction year programme to support novice nursery school teachers, general education teachers and vocational school teachers: ‘Induction year for novice teachers’ at Tallinn University and ‘Support programme for beginning teachers’ at the University of Tartu. Teachers who are starting out or already working and who have a master’s degree or equivalent qualifications, but lack pedagogical training, can participate in a course in pedagogy offered by Tallinn University and the University of Tartu. Teachers working in schools who do not meet the qualification requirements due to not having pedagogical education or a master’s degree can participate in the training course ‘Teacher training opportunities for teacher qualification’, organised by Tallinn University. The best way to learn about current options is to directly contact universities. We are working with universities to offer the opportunity in the next academic year to study in microdegrees in order to obtain a master’s degree in teacher education or improve pedagogical competences. Studying in microdegrees helps to combine work and studies in the most flexible way and allows teachers to focus on their specific needs. In February 2023, the microdegree course ‘Language and culture conscious teacher’ (16 ECTS credits) will start at the University of Tartu. |
What other initiatives are there to bring new teachers to schools?Youth to School is a two-year development programme that aims to bring talented and motivated leaders from other areas of life into the education sector and to ensure that every child in Estonia receives high-quality education. Those selected to participate in the programme undergo an intensive preparatory course in summer and start working as teachers in the partner school of their choice. For two years, they work in school from Monday to Thursday and every second weekend they participate in pedagogy and leadership training at Tallinn University. They are supported by Youth to School mentors, specialists of subject didactics, school-provided mentors, their classmates, the Youth to School team and alumni of the programme. Read more: www.nooredkooli.ee/huvilisele |
How will the transition affect kindergartens?The transition to Estonian-medium teaching and education must be completed by 1 September 2024. Teaching and education in kindergartens will be conducted only in Estonian. The aim is to ensure that children whose mother tongue is not Estonian have the opportunity to acquire primary education in Estonian and to reach a level of language proficiency sufficient for them to cope in an Estonian-speaking environment, to continue their education in Estonian and to integrate them into the Estonian cultural and value system. Estonian-medium learning in kindergartens is carried out using the language immersion method, by integrating language learning with other activities or by additional language activities. The transition will be supported by a training and motivation programme for teachers, while the overall increase in teachers’ salaries will also be a key objective. |
What level of language proficiency is required for kindergarten assistant teachers?Kindergarten assistant teachers are given two years to bring their Estonian language skills to the required B2 level. Until 1 September 2026, an employee assisting a teacher in a kindergarten may have an A2 level of Estonian language skills. |
In schools, the transition starts in the 1st and 4th grades. Could you describe this in detail?In the 2024/2025 academic year, students in the 1st grade in all Estonian schools start studying in Estonian and on the basis of a common curriculum. Students in the 4th grade also start learning all subjects in Estonian. However, the language of instruction of the previous academic year determines the methodology of both Estonian and Estonian-medium subject teaching. Schools where Russian was the language of instruction and Estonian was only taught in the minimum number of lessons prescribed in the first school stage definitely need more methodological support and counselling during the transition. However, in schools that have implemented the language immersion method, the transition to Estonian-medium learning primarily means an increase in the volume of subjects taught in Estonian. The language immersion programme can also be applied in schools where Russian is the language of instruction. The schools are supported by the Education and Youth Board’s network of language advisors for educational institutions, who advise teachers, school teams and school management on teaching children whose mother tongue is not Estonian. In the course of the development of the national curriculum, in order to ensure the smooth transition to Estonian-medium instruction in classes where Russian is the language of instruction, the number of weekly lessons of Estonian as a second language will be increased in all school stages from autumn 2023. In addition, documents with methodological recommendations describing the various approaches to learning a specific subject will be compiled to complement the national curricula. The flexibility of the national curricula enables schools to create their own arrangements in the curriculum and timetable in order to manage the transition and balance the teaching of Estonian and Estonian-medium subject teaching in transition classes during the school year. In order to facilitate the transition to Estonian-medium subject teaching in transition classes, it is recommended to start the academic year with a greater emphasis on Estonian language classes and to focus less on subjects that require more in-depth language skills. There are 1,5 academic years left before the transition is implemented, which gives each school time to think about how to cope with the change and where to start. The government also provides substantive support in the form of training, funding and advice. |
How does early language immersion differ from what is planned during the transition in the 1st grade?On the basis of the early language immersion model, in the 4th grade one subject should be taught in Russian, in addition to learning Russian as a mother tongue. In the transition to Estonian-medium teaching, there will be no new subjects in Russian in the early language immersion classes that have reached the 4th grade, and all subjects except mother tongue and foreign languages will be in Estonian until the end of basic school. |
To what extent will curricula be adapted for students starting the transition in 4th grade?In autumn 2024, the number of lessons in Estonian as the second language will increase in study stage I from two hours to four hours and in study stages II and III from four hours to five hours. It is true that in 2024, fourth-graders could be in a situation where they have only learned in Russian in study stage I and Estonian as the second language for only two lessons per week. Fourth grades will continue to learn Estonian based on the Estonian as the second language syllabus, but have more lessons per week (at least five). In addition, schools can create a class schedule for fourth-graders in a way that supports language learning, ie so that, at the beginning of the school year, students learn more Estonian and subjects in which poor language skills do not directly affect learning outcomes. Subjects that require higher proficiency of Estonian are taught in the second half of the school year, after students have improved their Estonian language skills through intensive language learning. In addition, various language immersion and integrated subject and language teaching methods are used in subject teaching. As the learning outcomes of the national curriculum are based on study stages, schools can adapt their teaching accordingly. |
How will other grades transition to Estonian?First and fourth grade will transition to Estonian-language education in 2024. The same applies to 1st and 4th grade in September 2025, and students who transitioned a year earlier will continue in 2nd and 5th grade. In 2026, new first and fourth-graders will start school and Estonian-language education will be taught in grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and so on. It is permitted and possible to transition to Estonian-language education faster, ie to transition more grades, provided that such capacities are available. Heads of school can also apply for a capitation fee for grades transitioning earlier in which up to 40% or 60% of studies are in Estonian. |
Will private schools also transition to Estonian-language education?Private schools can decide whether to transition or not, but they must follow national curricula and ensure that their students have Estonian language skills that allow them to continue studies at the next level of education. If a local government is involved in the operation of the school, the language of instruction must be based on the Basic Schools and Upper Secondary Schools Act, ie the transition to Estonian-language education in 1st and 4th grade must begin in September 2024. |
What is the support system like for students transitioning to Estonian-language education in 4th grade? Which resources does it require?In order to support students, it is essential to implement effective methods and choose a suitable pace. Fourth grade is the first grade of a study stage and when transitioning to Estonian-language education, it is possible to plan subject teaching so that the students’ work load is primarily allocated to learning Estonian. When teaching a subject, it is possible to focus on vocabulary and terminology related to the subject, which allows students to revise what they have previously learned and creates a basis for further learning of the subject. The primary resource needed is time, ie teachers must have time to implement various methods. To that end, it is possible to reduce the teaching load of 4th grade teachers while maintaining their pay. As a new benefit – the capitation fee – will apply to grades transitioning to Estonian-language education, it is possible to rearrange the work load and thus support students. |
Can schools start limiting the number of students they admit if there is a lack of Estonian-speaking teachers?It is important to distinguish whether it is the student’s school of residence. If it is the school of residence, the school has no grounds to refuse to admit the student. If it is not their school of residence, the school may refuse to admit them if there are no places vacant. |
Why is the state promoting segregation by separating the teaching of children whose native language is Estonian and children whose native language is another language?Parents are free to choose any school for their child and there are no plans to limit this right. |
Will hobby schools also switch to Estonian-language education?Extracurricular education plays a very important part in supporting the acquisition of Estonian language, as through interesting activities we spontaneously learn the language as well. Therefore, it is reasonable to provide extracurricular education in Estonian. In order to help more teachers to support young people in learning Estonian, we plan to provide training for hobby school teachers and youth workers with the support of EU Structural Funds. In addition, hobby schools, regardless of their form of ownership, can apply for training support from the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund to develop their staff’s Estonian language skills. The Integration Foundation conducts free Estonian language training courses, which are also open to hobby school teachers. Hobby school teachers can apply for reimbursement of the cost of language training from the Education and Youth Board, provided that the trainer has a licence from the Ministry of Education and Research and the language test is passed successfully. |
In which language will hobby activities provided in general education schools be provided?For a smooth transition to Estonian-language education, it is necessary to make the entire school environment as Estonian as possible. Hobby activities in general education schools have the greatest impact among other support activities and they must be in Estonian in order to support the school’s language of instruction and study activities. |
How or where can I find language practice opportunities for my child?The VeniVidiVici programme has been providing the opportunity to practise Estonian for years, either through a four-week student exchange or virtual language practice. As part of the virtual language practice, those interested in learning will get a peer mentor with whom they can interact for 2–3 academic hours every week. Student exchange provides the opportunity to study for four weeks in a school with a different language of instruction, to get to know its customs and practices and to create lasting friendships with new classmates. The programme is free for participants. The programme welcomes students from grades 7–12 and is always open for new participants. Read more: https://venividivici.ee/ |
How is the transition organised in vocational schools?In vocational education, the transition to learning in Estonian is implemented in secondary vocational school, where students acquire both secondary education and a professional qualification. From the academic year 2024/2025 until the academic year 2029/2030at least 60% of the language of instruction in secondary vocational education must be Estonian. Schools are obliged to ensure the transition to Estonian-medium learning for students who have started their studies in the curriculum of secondary vocational education by the academic year of 2030/2031 at the latest. Students who started their secondary vocational education before this date are allowed to study up to 40% of their compulsory studies in a language other than Estonian until the end of their studies. How the school achieves this goal depends primarily on the availability of teachers who are proficient in Estonian. The state implements a number of measures to achieve this goal, such as higher salaries for teachers who teach in Estonian in Ida-Viru County, additional beginner teacher allowance for teachers who start working in Ida-Viru County for the first time, an increase in the number of student places for teacher training in universities, etc. It is important that teachers feel confident and supported in their work. To achieve this, continuing training on language learning methods, CLIL learning, integration, tandem language learning, etc. is offered to all educational workers involved in formal education, including vocational school teachers as well as hobby school teachers, youth workers and support staff. Further Estonian language training for vocational students is also planned. |
Are students with special educational needs also required to transition to Estonian-language education?It is clear that we can only expect students to learn Estonian if it is appropriate for them according to their abilities. The current law provides various opportunities to support students in their education – group learning, a simplified curriculum, etc. The same applies to language learning. Students who have difficulty learning in their native language cannot be expected to learn in a foreign language. However, it is necessary for children with special educational needs to be able to speak Estonian, too, and schools must take this into account when making exemptions. |
How about children who need a speech therapist? Can Russian-speaking speech therapists continue working?Russian-speaking speech therapists can stay in employment if they have the necessary qualifications and their Estonian language skills meet the required level (C1). The speech therapist can offer the child speech therapy in their second language, both within and outside school, involving additional help if necessary. |
Changes are stressful and students may need psychological support. Are there plans to recruit more support specialists?The purpose of basic school is to provide students with an age-appropriate, safe and developing environment with a positive impact. Students have the right to receive the support they need from teachers and support specialists. Pursuant to the Basic Schools and Upper Secondary Schools Act, opportunities for implementation of the services of support specialists are created by school owners and organised by heads of school. |
Will Russian disappear from school completely?In classes where the language of instruction is entirely Estonian, Russian is no longer a compulsory subject. When students’ mother tongue is different from Estonian and where there are at least ten students speaking the same mother tongue in school, they will be allowed to study their mother tongue and culture two lessons per week from the 1st grade onwards, if the students and their parents request it. |
How are learners whose mother tongue is not Estonian supported in preserving and developing their mother tongue?Teaching of mother tongue and culture starts from the 1st grade and certainly plays an important part in the development of a student’s identity. |
200 languages are spoken as mother tongues in Estonia. How can children learn to speak their mother tongue which is different from Estonian?It is important to have at least ten children in one school who want to learn their mother tongue and culture. If there are not enough children in one school, an alternative is to contact a specific ethnic minority association. The Ministry of Education and Research funds the teaching of mother tongue and culture in ethnic minority hobby schools started by relevant associations. |
If a child’s A or B foreign language at school is the same as their mother tongue, will they start to learn the mother tongue as a foreign language?In cases where a school provides Russian as an A foreign language, there is a possibility that students whose mother tongue is not Estonian will be taught a foreign language listed in the current regulation as an A language: English, German or French. The teaching of a B foreign language can be replaced by the teaching of the mother tongue and the related culture, in which case teaching is not necessarily in the same group with beginners. It is important to remember that the reference level and the learning outcomes are different for learning a B foreign language and for learning the mother tongue and culture. |
Can schools start limiting the number of students they admit if there is a lack of Estonian-speaking teachers?It is important to distinguish whether it is the student’s school of residence. If it is the school of residence, the school has no grounds to refuse to admit the student. If it is not their school of residence, the school may refuse to admit them if there are no places vacant. |
Where can suitable learning materials be found? Who prepares them and when?A wide range of teaching materials have been created for learning Estonian as a second language; however, they are currently quite scattered. Developed methodological and teaching materials will be mapped and systematised. The materials will be available to teachers on the websites ekoolikott.ee and oppekava.ee (www.oppekava.ee). In order to support language skills in compensatory learning, materials and worksheets for Estonian as a second language, which are beginner friendly, visually easy to grasp and compact and developed on the basis of a simplified curriculum, can be used. The teaching materials are available on e-Koolikott and on Opiq e-learning environment, with additional materials such as a language immersion programme and the CLIL (content and language integrated learning) materials also available on e-Koolikott. There are also plans to create new learning materials based on contemporary knowledge of the structure and logic of learning materials and to ensure their compliance with an appropriate level. The learning materials will be developed for general and vocational education students. They will be compiled in working groups involving language experts from research and development institutions, current curriculum developers and practising teachers. Teachers are advised to select the most appropriate materials for their students from both new and existing materials and to exclude those that are not suitable because of the students’ age or the level of difficulty or those that are not relevant. |
What will happen to language immersion? Will the programme still be available?The language immersion programme supports the Estonian learning of children whose native language is not Estonian, using the principles and methods of content and language integrated learning (CLIL). The language immersion programme was implemented in Estonia in 1998 and all schools and students who opted for language immersion have already made a great step towards Estonian-language education. Parents who have entrusted their children to language immersion for 30 years have created a foundation for Estonian-language education. |
How will the Ministry monitor the implementation of the amended Act?Starting from the academic year 2022/2023, thematic monitoring of Estonian and the organisation of teaching in Estonian is planned as a priority measure. A sample of educational institutions is selected for each academic year to ensure systematic monitoring. The sample will include pre-school establishments, general education schools and vocational schools. One difference compared to previous inspections is the involvement of the Language Board in the inspection of Estonian and Estonian-medium learning in order to ensure the high quality of the inspection and to involve the best experts. |
Who would benefit from sending language inspectors to school?We are proposing an amendment to the Language Act to give the Language Board the authority to monitor the learning process when checking teachers’ language proficiency, including classroom monitoring in schools, where necessary. Inspectors from the Language Board have been monitoring teachers’ knowledge of Estonian for many years, but it is also important to have information on how teachers use Estonian in their teaching. Therefore, experts in the field of education who are able to spot teachers’ pedagogical competences are also involved in the monitoring. This is primarily an advisory monitoring, which benefits teachers, schools and school management, as the main results of the monitoring are proposals for better organisation of learning in Estonian, continuing teacher training and individual development. As a result of the monitoring, schools will have a better overview of their teaching staff and the staff’s competences, which provides valuable input for the development and staff policy of schools. The results of the extended monitoring are important for the state in order to implement the various support measures and plan resources. |
Is it necessary to change the statutes and curricula of schools and apply for a new licence, since they all specify the language of instruction?There is no need to go through the licensing process again. However, the details in all documents must be in line with the changes in the legislation. |
How will applying for exemptions work?The draft legislation for transition to Estonian-language education prescribes provisions for the transition. Among other things, it specifies grades for which school owners can decide that lessons are taught in a language other than Estonian. For example, in the 2024/2025 school year, rural municipality councils and city councils cannot make this decision for 1st and 4th grade, and the only way to teach in a language other than Estonian is to apply to the government for an exemption for a specific grade. The deadline for applications to teach partly in another language is no later than 31 March of the previous school year. The government decides whether to grant or refuse the exemption within two months of the application. The government’s decision is based on the opinion of the government committee set up by the government. |
On whom can the non-compliance levy of up to 9,600 euros be imposed and in which cases? Can it be imposed only once?The non-compliance levy of up to 9,600 euros can be imposed as part of educational supervision carried out by the Ministry of Education and Research only on a legal person if a previous precept has not been fulfilled. The purpose of imposing a non-compliance levy is to influence the addressee to perform their obligations. Non-compliance levies can be imposed repeatedly and in varying amounts until the obligation is fulfilled. The maximum amount of a non-compliance levy is 9,600 euros. The amount of the non-compliance levy may also be lower. |
How much does the transition to Estonian-medium education cost and where does the money come from?The additional funding from the state budget in 2023 will amount to 41 million euros, of which 15 million will cover ongoing activities and their expansion and 26.1 million will be used to initiate new activities contributing to the transition to Estonian-language education. Over the next four years, the total additional financial need from the state budget is around 300 million euros. Additionally, over the next seven years, the state will contribute to the transition with EU Structural Funds, of which 46 million euros are planned for language policy. |
Why does the state want to transition so quickly?The action plan for the transition to Estonian-language learning was completed in November 2021 under the previous coalition. The action plan that received the green light from the government in October 2022 is its updated and adjusted version. More importantly, we are not starting the transition from scratch. A lot has already been done. For the best schools and heads of school, the transition to Estonian-language learning is natural and not an issue. The state will help them as well as the less prepared by offering benefits, training and advice. |
This transition has been talked about for 30 years but is yet to happen. What is different this time?Today, there is a clear expectation in society for general education in Estonian. The latest Integration Monitoring Report showed that only 11% of parents with a mother tongue other than Estonian want their child to receive their education only in Russian. In recent years, there has been a visible increase in the number of non-native speakers of Estonian in Estonian language schools – on average more than one thousand students per year in basic schools. Teachers have not been trained for Russian language schools in Estonia for 30 years and it is therefore impossible to maintain the quality of teaching while continuing with a parallel education system. The transition to Estonian-language education has not been planned on this scale before. This time, the package of measures is very comprehensive and all challenges will be addressed to achieve the objective. This, in turn, requires significant investment to be secured by 2023 to start the decisive phase of the process. |
Last updated: 09.08.2024
