The lack of teachers creates problems to reduce the importance of the Russian language in schools and switch to teaching other foreign languages, writes the Estonian media ERR News.
This problem is especially noticeable in the country’s small schools. The Ministry of Education and Research has determined that schools must offer two or more languages from which to choose the second foreign language to be learned. The first is usually English.
However, in several schools, the new requirement is a real challenge. The school in Melliste, located near Tartu, can only offer English and Russian language learning. School director Aile Kilgi told the Aktuaalne kaamera program that the situation has always been like this. She said that there was a time when students expressed their desire to learn German, but it never materialized because they could not find a teacher.
The rules will enter into force in the fall of 2023.
Estonian Minister of Education Tõnis Lukas stated that new conditions are necessary to reduce the predominance of the Russian language in schools. Speaking about the lack of teachers, the minister pointed out that Estonian universities prepare German and French language teachers, but only a small part of them choose to work at school. On the other hand, for small schools, the solution could be to transfer the student’s language lessons to another school.
«If there are few applicants, pupils can also attend classes at another school by agreement. So these things will probably be resolved and these teachers will be found,»
Lukas said.
For the time being, the requirement will not apply to those students who are learning Estonian as a second foreign language. It is true that since a complete transition to learning in Estonian is planned, all schools will eventually have to offer at least two options for a second foreign language.
The headmistress of the Melliste school said that the workload for the teacher could be about three contact hours per week, and perhaps in cooperation with nearby schools, it will be possible to find a teacher.
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