"Teachers of foreign languages in state and municipal schools must have a B2 language requirement from August 1 and cannot be employed if their language skills do not meet B2. The transitional provision applies to those who already have B1 level language skills and who have studied for and are about to take the B2 exam, but have not yet passed it today, but who are likely to pass the B2 exam in the next year, who will be able to sign a fixed-term employment contract for one year, which will not be renewed after August 1, 2025," said Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas (Eesti 200) at the government's weekly press conference.

Although the government extended the regulation to both state and municipal schools, the government decided not to apply it to state schools, Kallas stressed.

"In state schools – basic schools and gymnasiums – we, as the owner, as school administrator, have decided that we will not implement this transitional provision in state schools, i.e. all teachers in state schools must be proficient in Estonian at least at level B2 [from September 1, 2024]. The only exceptions will be those teachers who missed the threshold by a dozen or so points in the last exam and who have a definite plan to take the exam in the autumn," the minister added.

Plans to require foreign teachers at international schools to know Estonian at B2 level have been dropped, but passing B1 remains.

"A long discussion with the international schools and also an analysis of EU law showed us that the B2 level is not a valid requirement in EU law, as these teachers do not need to use Estonian in their work. Therefore, we have amended the regulation's requirement for these teachers to B1 level, which is in line with the language requirements for long-term residents in Estonia. Teachers in international schools have until 2026 to bring their language skills up to B1 level," explained Kallas.

The government decided the B2 language requirement must be extended to kindergarten teachers.

"As two years of study are needed to reach B2 level, we gave that. So, from September 1, 2026, all teaching assistants in all kindergartens will have to be proficient in Estonian at least at level B2," said the minister.

It also clarified the list of support staff, such as pedagogues and speech therapists, working in the education sector and their language requirements. If they provide services in Estonian they must speak C1 level Estonian.

"If they provide a service in another language, they will have to be proficient in Estonian at level B2, and these language requirements will also apply from September 1, 2026, to give them time to comply with their own language requirements," Kallas said.

Additionally, the government also decided that physiotherapists, midwives and nurses, as well as security guards, must also have B2 level language skills when providing health services. No rule has been in place until now.

Kallas also said, that according to the information received by the ministry, schools and kindergartens have prepared for the transition. The ministry has also discussed how to support teachers during this time.

Last week, language exam results showed only 20 percent of teachers who sat the B2 exam passed. The transition to Estonian language reform starts in September.

Isamaa criticizes extension period

Even before the decision was officially announced, the opposition party Isamaa published a press release criticizing the changes.

Long-time Minister of Education and Research Tõnis Lukas said it was a "bad surprise" that the government's first act had been to relax the rules. He called it a "historic mistake."

He said the party had introduced similar rules in 2000 and 2008, so teachers have no excuse today.

"So all teachers in Russian schools have known for 24 years that they have to have an intermediate level of Estonian in order to continue in the profession, and for 16 years that the specific exam they have to pass is the B2 level exam. To say that this is news that only became public at the end of 2022, when, again on the initiative of Isamaa, the full transition to Estonian-language teaching was legalized, is a lie," Lukas found.

He accused the government of making concessions to schools that have not followed the rules and it undermined the transition reform.

"It is unfair and disrespectful to those who have been ambitious and to school leaders who have been more demanding than some," Lukas said, summarising the party's position.

Ligi: Isamaa failed to act

Minister of Finance Jürgen Ligi (Reform) rejected Isamaa's criticism at the government's press conference. He said Isamaa has held the education portfolio for approximately half of the last 20 years and has not taken enough "practical steps" to implement changes.

The minister said he had reviewed the Riigikogu's transcripts and found no trace of a credible plan. When the transition was introduced in 2017, there were few signs it had been dealt with before, he said.

"Forgive Kristina, but unfortunately these transitional periods are needed in practice when no action has actually been taken before," Ligi concluded.

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