The principals of Mustamäe, Pelgulinna and Tõnismäe state high schools, which opened on Wednesday and will teach from tenth through twelfth grade, say they are prepared and excited for the new school year.

"We have pupils, teachers, a roof over our heads and furniture inside. Even computers are here. So, as best as we can, we are prepared for the new year." said Alo Savi, the principal of Tõnismäe State High School.

While both schools are fully staffed, Mustamäe State High School remains understaffed. "Given the variety of B-language alternatives, it became apparent at the eleventh hour that we require an additional German teacher to provide our students with genuinely robust options," Raino Liblik, the principal of Mustamäe school, said.

Despite the fact that schools have been planning for a long time, opening a new school is not without its challenges. "What worries me most is whether we will be able to take this big step forward in a clear and direct manner, which we have been preparing and planning for a whole year in this joint establishment of the three schools." said Alo Savi, the principal of Tõnismäe school.

Schools will start with an atypical introductory program of a few weeks to help students adjust to their new surroundings. "Pupils will participate in a program that spans the beginning of the universe, the emergence of the world and to the eventual end of the universe. And in the course of this, they will get to know each another and the Pelgulinna school," explained Indrek Lillemägi, the principal of Pelgulinna school.

This year, only the 10th grades will start studying in state schools. The Pelgulinna and Mustamäe high schools enrolled 360 pupils each, while Tõnismäe High School enrolled 160.

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