Tallinn schools still short on teachers after school year begins
Weeks into the new school year, Tallinn schools are still struggling to fill teaching posts, with the biggest shortages in Estonian, English, math and class teachers.
Several schools in the Estonian capital have received extensions from the Tallinn Education Department to fill remaining vacancies.
Kadi Pilv, head of the department's Staff and Document Management Unit, said that as of last week, 38 teachers were still needed across the city.
She noted the current situation is roughly the same as last year, when Tallinn schools were typically in need of 30–40 new teachers throughout the year. The demand usually peaks at the end of the school year, and summer is the busiest hiring period.
"In Tallinn, we're talking about roughly 150–200 open competitions across different schools," Pilv said.
The biggest challenge is finding teachers who meet legal qualification requirements. According to Pilv, about a quarter of the city's teachers remain under- or unqualified.
"Under current law, we and school leaders can only offer such [teachers] one-year contracts," she said.
The city official noted that the Basic Schools and Upper Secondary Schools Act also requires that each teaching position be filled through an open hiring process. Only if no qualified candidates apply can schools hire someone without the necessary credentials — and even then, only for a one-year term.
Language proficiency required
In Estonia, a qualified basic or high school teacher must hold a master's degree or equivalent, a teaching certification and the required level of Estonian language proficiency under the Language Act.
"This means that teachers who teach in Estonian must have C1-level proficiency, and for classes or groups taught in Russian or another language, the required proficiency level starting this fall is at least B2," Pilv explained.
Last year, teachers with B1-level Estonian were given a one-year grace period to meet the new, more stricter language proficiency requirement.
While teachers without the required education can be hired temporarily under certain conditions, those who lack the necessary Estonian skills cannot work in schools at all.
"Schools are looking for class teachers, math teachers, English teachers and Estonian teachers," Pilv said.
Language teachers remain among the hardest to find.
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Editor: Mirjam Mäekivi, Aili Vahtla
