Tallinn's Ukrainian school to gradually cease operations

Vabaduse School, launched three years ago for Ukrainian children, will gradually cease operations in its current form as students transition to other schools and the Estonian-language transition continues.
"As part of Tallinn Tõnismäe State High School, Vabaduse School will phase out its operations for grades 7–9, and in two years, it will primarily function as an institution providing Estonian-language high school education," school leaders wrote in a letter to the Ministry of Education and Research this week.
Vabaduse School was created in 2022 for refugee children fleeing Russia's full-scale invasion. It allowed them to continue their studies and start integrating into society. As thousands of children needed school places, it also reduced pressure on Estonia's school system.
But now, three years later, Estonia's education system has adapted and most Ukrainian students are attending local municipal schools.
Additionally, the transition to Estonian-language education has begun, which affects all students in Estonia.

Currently, 40 percent of Vabaduse School's curriculum is taught in Ukrainian, while 60 percent is in Estonian. The school has over 500 students in grades 7–12, making up five percent of all Ukrainian-origin students in Estonia.
To continue supporting Ukrainian youth in Estonia, the curriculum of Tallinn Tõnismäe State High School will be updated. Starting this fall, intensive language learning groups will be created for graduates of primary school, supported by teachers from Vabaduse School, to help students integrate and develop their language skills. These groups will assist students in applying to high schools or vocational education institutions.
In the long term, Tallinn Tõnismäe State High School will introduce a new curriculum for recent immigrants, using the experiences gained from Vabaduse School to support young people arriving in Estonia from Ukraine and elsewhere.
The model developed at Vabaduse School will also be implemented at the upcoming Lasnamäe Mustakivi State High School.
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Editor: Mari Peegel, Helen Wright