The MP, Viktoria Ladõnskaja-Kubits, who also sits on the Riigikogu's cultural affairs committee, said that: "The problem of the next generation of teachers has been acute for many years. The increase in teachers' salaries planned by the government will increase salaries, but will not solve the problem as a whole."

"The government has made finding a solution to the problem of the next generation of teachers a national priority. At the same time, it is essential to draw up a comprehensive package of solutions that would give meaning to this so-called 'national priority' concept," the MP went on.

Isamaa claims that while expenditure on higher education in Estonia has increased over the past decade, this growth is lags GDP growth, with the result the long-term quality of Estonian higher education, the party said, and claims that the situation has reached crisis status.

Isamaa has proposed while €162 million for operating support for higher education to public universities and professional higher education institutions managed by the Ministry of Education and Research, together with an increase in funding for higher education by €20 million for 2022.

The proposals have met with support from both schools and from the Ministry of Education and Research, party spokespersons say.

The state budget is scheduled for its second reading Wednesday, according to the Riigikogu's site, with its third to follow in early-to-mid December, aiming to get it passed before year end (the Riigikogu breaks up for Christmas after its final session on Thursday, December 16, the latter likely largely to consist of MPs performing Christmas ditties for each other, if previous years are anything to go by).

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