This year, for the first time in the history of newly independent Estonia, all first-grade students will start learning only in the Estonian language. The changes also apply to fourth-grade students.

Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas (Eesti 200) said teachers have been found for all the necessary classes.

"In some places, of course, there are teacher vacancies and the load has to be shared with other teachers, but the challenge for schools is to find additional Estonian teachers every year. Every next year there will be more grades 1 and 4, but the journey has now begun and I see that we are actually ready for this journey," Kallas told Monday's "Aktuaalne kaamera".

Õnnela Leedo-Küngas, director of Tallinn Ehte Humanities High School, said the process took a long time.

"One English teacher is missing and recruitment started in February. It's very long. And, by the way, I counted up my working hours over a couple of weeks, so 85 percent of roughly the head teacher's time went into recruitment on a weekly basis. Maybe it's a very serious undertaking, but you can be quite satisfied. 23 new people in the house and more than ten leaving," she said.

Approximately 165,000 students will study in general education schools this year, 1,000 more than last year.

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