Tallinn Official Maintains Constitutional Right of Schools to Choose Language
Mihhail Kõlvart, the Tallinn deputy mayor who has become a leading advocate of the right of parents to choose the language in which their children are educated, has said a recent statement by the Chancellor of Justice is contradictory.
Chancellor of Justice Indrek Teder said on July 2 that Article 37 of the Constitution gives everyone the right to an education in Estonian. But deputy Mayor Mihhail Kõlvart countered that this was a right, not an obligation.
Kõlvart also noted that Article 37 gives schools the right to choose the language of instruction. Another subsection of the same article gives parents decision-making power when it comes to their children's education.
"Not just the Private Schools Act but also the Basic Schools and Upper Secondary Schools Act give the right to choose language of instruction. This was also affirmed by Teder in his precept to the Education Ministry dated July 11, 2011," said Kõlvart through the Tallinn city press agency Raepress.
"If the Chancellor of Justice has changed his opinion for some reason, then amendments should be introduced into not just the Private Schools Act, but also the Basic Schools and Upper Secondary Schools Act. The Constitution notes a right, not an obligation to get an Estonian education," he said.
Under legislation finalized in 2010, public high schools are required to teach 60 percent of subjects in Estonian. Only the Cabinet can grant exceptions. The Tallinn and Narva city councils applied for exceptions but were turned down in most cases, leading them to recur to the Private Schools Act.
Kristopher Rikken