The employment contracts of school principals have been open-ended for the past 16 years. A new legislative draft recently introduced the idea of changing principals' contracts to five-year terms and implementing mandatory certification. However, after strong criticism, Minister of Education Kristina Kallas (Eesti 200) now states that the contracts will likely remain open-ended, but the certification system will go ahead, as reported by "Aktuaalne kaamera" news.

"The main goal is not necessarily to impose fixed-term contracts; rather, it's to establish a five-year certification period. In preparing amendments to the legislative draft, we will likely abandon the idea of fixed-term contracts, but it is absolutely essential for us to implement the certification system," said Kallas.

Discussions continued on Tuesday in the Riigikogu Cultural Affairs Committee about possible options.

"While fixed-term contracts alone would certainly be the most cost-effective option, they are less substantive. Formality-wise, they compel the school organizer to communicate with the principal, ask for their plans and require the principal to reflect on their vision for the school's development if they want to participate in a competition. But this is all very formal. Systematic certification would provide far more meaningful support to the principal," said committee member Liina Kersna (Reform).

One of the few private schools where the principal has a five-year contract is Rocca al Mare School. Irene Artma, a teacher who has worked with five different principals, believes that high-level positions should not have indefinite contracts.

"With responsibility comes power, but if it's indefinite, it inevitably makes a person somewhat lazy. More dangerously, power can become corrupt," Artma said.

School leaders are in favor of the current open-ended contracts and see the addition of certification as necessary for receiving feedback on their work.

"It must be a comprehensive system where we can evaluate competence and, based on that, create individual development plans for each school or set new leadership goals. I believe that competence assessment can be done collaboratively," said Urmo Uiboleht, chairman of the Estonian Association of School Principals.

Artma believes that those directly interacting with the principal should be involved in providing feedback.

"In reality, the most immediate, accurate and honest feedback for a principal comes from teachers," she said.

The Minister of Education plans to submit the amendment to the Riigikogu for coordination later this fall.

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