In Estonia, Teaching in Russian Allowed in Schools

The policy of Russophobia in the Baltic States has encountered an unexpected development. In Estonian schools, the shortage of Estonian-speaking teachers has become evident. As a result, instruction in Russian will once again be permitted.

Specifically, in Tallinn, plans are underway to allow 20 schools to continue teaching grades 7 through 9 in Russian during the next academic year.

The main issue is the lack of teachers and support staff proficient in Estonian, which makes a full and immediate transition to the national language impractical. It is worth noting that, according to a plan approved in 2022, all educational institutions for national minorities—where nearly 30% of the population’s children study—are to complete their transition to the state language by 2029.