Youth Association Wants More Estonian in Russian Primary Schools
Voluntary language immersion is not enough, says a youth organization, Open Republic, finding that compulsory bilingual educational models must be developed to ensure that primary school graduates have better Estonian ability when they enter high school.
The volunteer organization is submitting its report on November 15 to the Ministry of Education and Research.
"The proficiency of graduates of primary school with a language of instruction other than Estonian is too weak to study without problems at Estonian secondary school," says head of Open Republic, Jevgeni Krishtafovitsh. "Next year Russian-language secondary schools will cease to exist and students who did not take part in voluntary language immersion or did not take Estonian courses at their own expense outside of school will find themselves in a difficult situation."
