There are about 500 schools in Estonia. In more than 300 schools, the proportion of teachers with qualification requirements has decreased over the past five years. Only 16 schools have all teachers with the required qualifications.
A teacher must have a master's degree or an equivalent level of education. They must also have a teaching qualification and a good command of the Estonian language. Heidi Uustalu, head of the education management and teacher policy sector at the Ministry of Education, says that the proportion of teachers with qualification requirements has decreased for several reasons. For example, there are many new teachers who do not meet the qualification requirements. They may be career changers or studying at the same time. The transition to Estonian-language education also affects the situation.
In Põhja-Järva school, 17 out of 44 teachers are unqualified. This is 40 percent. A similar situation exists in about a hundred other schools. The Ministry of Education and Research imposed a fine of 3000 euros on the school. Elen Ruus, head of the supervision sector, says that the fine is imposed if the school fails to comply with the directive by the deadline.
Järva municipality mayor Toomas Tammik says that the school principal and the school operator have done a lot of work. Since the law does not clarify what constitutes a sufficient number of qualified teachers, the municipality has turned to the administrative court. Tammik believes that the court decision will help other municipalities gain clarity in the future.
Toomas Tammik says that the state has not done enough to ensure the next generation of teachers. Heidi Uustalu says that the ministry wants children to have qualified teachers. The ministry has created more opportunities for learning to become a teacher. More teacher training places have also been created.