Russian-language Schools in Trouble as New Rules Approach
Next fall, students in Russian-language upper secondary schools will be required to take 60 percent of their classes in Estonian; however, Tallinn Deputy Mayor Yana Toom said 20 out of 22 Russian-language schools in the capital will be unable to meet that requirement.
Toom told ETV that schools are lacking Estonian-speaking teachers and that some schools may not even satisfy half of the requirement.
In Russian-language schools, one teacher may cover a variety of classes. Only 8 percent of instructors are under the age of 30. "More than a third are over the age of 51, and they don't speak Estonian,“ said Toom. Teachers might even have a language certificate of some kind, she added, but that doesn't mean they are able to teach a class in Estonian.
Tallinn plans to help Russian-language schools that may be in trouble when the regulation goes into effect. Toom said the city will offer to pay off schooling for Master's students, provided that they work at a school for a minimum of two years.
Problematic Low Student Population
There is a general deficit of young teachers in Estonia.
The number of students attending Tallinn schools has steadily been decreasing in the last decade, and schools are often merged as a result, the deputy mayor explained. Four schools were merged into two this year. "Unfortunately, we have very few children," said Toom.
Merging schools creates a problem for the future, however, as student numbers may rise again.
In 2014, there will be 3,000 students entering high school in Tallinn, which will make up 100 new classes.
"If we lose five schools right now, then where will we put those 100 new classes in two years? It's not that easy,“ said Toom.