A nationwide reform to gradually switch the whole school system to teaching in the Estonian language started in September 2024.

The ministry is now conducting an analysis on whether funding for private general education schools should be tied to the language of instruction.

Minister of Education Kristina Kallas (Eesti 200) told ERR that while teaching in Russian is not prohibited in private schools, the question arises whether it makes sense for the Estonian state to fund it.

"We are analyzing this because we have received information from Narva that the number of students at the Narva Orthodox High School has increased. It is likely that students have transferred there from a municipal school that can no longer teach in Russian," Kallas said.

The minister added that the Ministry of Education is studying the situation, including how significant and widespread the shift to Russian-language private schools has been.

Kallas could not say whether the issue only affects Narva or can be seen elsewhere in the country.

This academic year, a total of 903 students are enrolled in Estonia's 10 Russian-language private schools. Last academic year, there were 941, and the year before that, 1,023.

Ministry of Education communications adviser Aire Kolk said this year's figures are preliminary, as the data have not yet been fully verified. The deadline for schools to submit data was November 10.

"The analysis is still ongoing; specific solutions will depend on the final results," Kolk said.

The transition to Estonian-language instruction began last year in kindergartens and in first and fourth grades of schools, and it will continue gradually by grade level and academic year, to be completed by 2030.

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