On average, one fifth of teachers in Estonia are teaching in schools on a one-year contract as they lack the relevant professional qualification. According to Mustamäe State High School principal Raino Liblik, a member of the Tallinn Association of School Principals (TKÜ), the current situation is serious.

"As it's often pointed out that perhaps there are shortcomings in school management or communication or recruitment, we've put a lot of effort into that," Liblik said. "Despite this, there are a number of areas where we can't say that we have good options. And if anything, can we say about certain areas that any options exist at all."

What's clear, he stressed, is that there is a growing trend toward people without the appropriate qualifications coming straight to work in schools.

Teachers earning their degrees pose a special challenge for schools, with constraints arising on everything from drawing up weekly schedules to finding the necessary mentors. Such teachers typically can't contribute enough to school life either.

"After all, it's important to the school too that these master Teachers with a capital T are also the ones contributing daily to [these] youth, are around, and are contributing to the development of the organization," Liblik continued. "In other words, if someone is simultaneously working on earning their qualification, then they may not always be 100 percent present with their time and emotional resources. That is also perfectly understandable."

Located in the Estonian capital, TLÜ wants to help alleviate the issue with more flexible studies; starting this year, its science teacher bachelor's degree program, which to date has only been available as full-time studies, will also be accepting students for session-based studies as well.

"In other words, a working teacher can come, and we're offering the opportunity to take math, chemistry, physics as a minor," said Tiia Õun, director of TLÜ's School of Educational Sciences.

"Classes themselves are for one week, once a month, but the minors first and foremost possible in the sciences in particular are on one day a week," Õun continued. "So they could very well manage their typical workload together with their [own] schoolwork."

According to school principals, it is crucial that the flexible studies be varied, offering various options via which to earn their degree. TLÜ plans to establish a hybrid studies format in the future as well, which would be flexible both timewise and locationwise.

"They might watch online, watch a class or a lecture later and complete their assignments when it's convenient for them," Õun explained.

As many unqualified teachers have ended up teaching in schools via the nationwide Noored Kooli program, there is a more convenient way for them to obtain their master's degree as well.

"Once someone has completed it, then they can come flexibly attend our master's program and earn their master's in just one year," the university official said.

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