EDF planning to tighten conscripts' Estonian-language skills requirements

The Estonian Defense Forces (EDF) face challenges with language skills among some conscripts, prompting potential policy changes to ensure better proficiency in the language, "Aktuaalne kaamera" reported.
The change, it is argued, would make military training more effective, though potentially rejecting or deferring the service of conscripts on the grounds of language issues came as a surprise to the defense minister.
The EDF does already provide language training to non-native speakers of Estonian who are due to serve, or are serving, terms of conscription – mandatory for either eight- or 11-month terms depending on the specialty.
To address the issue, the EDF has started language courses for conscripts with poor Estonian language abilities, to be taken before a period of service so as not to eat up valuable time.
Lt Col. Vesse Põder, deputy chief of the training department at the EDF's General Staff said: "We would be happy if we didn't have to do this and could start military training right away."
"As is common knowledge, conscription periods are very short, and the initial period is very intense, leaving us with little time to help conscripts improve their Estonian," said.
The exact timeline for these changes is still undecided. One option is to implement them as early as next year, which would coincide with a transitional year in which the EDF plans to conscript significantly fewer individuals LINK, on a quality-over-quantity basis.
Lt Col. Põder said: "As of now, no decision has been made, but the matter is being worked on, and once the decision is made, it will be announced."
Remedial training can be provided for conscripts in other areas as well as language, the officer added.
"At present, no one has been sent home, but we do not rule out that if someone is not ready for conscription — be it due to physical, health, or language issues — we will provide additional time to prepare. They can return next year better prepared to fulfill their obligation to the state," Põder went on.
However, the plan — to potentially reject conscripts with insufficient Estonian — was apparently news to Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur (Reform), who told "Aktuaalne kaamera": "It is true that Estonia's education system hasn't provided sufficient Estonian language skills for all young people."
"For this reason, the EDF has been obliged to provide additional language courses during conscription. However, the EDF hasn't made or planned any policy changes or changes in principle. Our underlying assumption remains that those joining conscription are proficient in Estonian," Pevkur said.
Vladislav Gussev, a resident of the largely Russian-speaking town of Narva, has been a conscript for six months now.
While he was accepted for conscription, he struggled early on, he noted, adding that school had focused too much on Estonian grammar and not enough on day-to-day communication.
In any case, the immersion into an Estonian-speaking environment had boosted his skills over time, he said.
"Over the first weeks, I had problems—I couldn't understand anything that was said to me," Gussev, speaking in Estonian, said.
"But now I do understand what's being asked of me, and I can respond and chat with my friends in the bunk," he went.
The EDF spends about €50,000 annually on Estonian language training.
Last year, this helped improve the language skills of 400 soldiers, "Aktuaalne kaamera" reported.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Merili Nael
Source: 'Aktuaalne kaamera,' reporter Rene Kundla.