In the new academic year, Russian will be taught in grades 3 and 6 to 9. Teachers must have an Estonian language proficiency level of B2 by September.
According to Ingar Dubolazov, head of the Ministry of Education and Research, finding teachers for Russian-language classes may be difficult. He says that school principals are concerned about teachers.
Tallinn Deputy Mayor Aleksei Jašin says there are 80 teachers in Tallinn whose Estonian language level is B1 or lower. They have the opportunity to prove their B2 level by August. If they fail, they will have to leave their jobs.
Jašin says most of these teachers have been learning Estonian and have taken the latest exams. The exam results will be announced next week.
No further extensions are planned. Jašin says Tallinn can manage without new extensions.