According to Narva Mayor Aleksei Jevgrafov, it was the Ministry of Education and Research that initiated changing the agreement first signed two years ago. According to the new plan, the opening of a planned state high school in town will be delayed by one year, but in exchange, not one, but two new high schools will be built in Narva.

"If we support this, then in 2023 we will see two new high schools in the city of Narva — one will be a state high school with two languages of instruction, and the other will be an Estonian-language high school," Jevgrafov said. "Plus the fact that we'd also like to build a kindergarten meant specifically for Estonian-language children. The building of such a complex in Narva is actually a pretty interesting and exciting idea."

The building of two state high schools will mean a win for Narva's Estonian-language community, as Narva Estonian High School (NEG) has been concerned about the weakening of Estonian-language education and the Estonian-language community in general in the city.

NEG principal Uta Kroon-Assafrei is in favor of there being a high school in Narva at which all classes are in the Estonian language.

"If we now get an Estonian-language high school, then that is the best option," Kroon-Assafrei said. "Where the money will come from is the next question."

Four years ago, it was estimated that the building of two state high schools in Narva would cost approximately €10 million.

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