Tallinn fires school principal over resistance to Estonian education switch
A long serving Tallinn school principal has been fired over widespread obstruction to the transition to Estonian-language education.
Sergei Teplov had been director of the Kesklinna vene gümnaasium high school (TKVG) on Kreutzwaldi tänav in Tallinn since 2009. However, the City of Tallinn's education department proposed his dismissal, which reportedly takes effect today, December 4.
Outgoing Tallinn deputy mayor Aleksei Jašin (Eesti 200) told ERR's Russian-language portal that the school had been inspected by both the city and by the education ministry.
These inspections revealed systemic opposition at school management level to the transition to Estonian-language instruction. In some cases, teachers were officially entered on the payroll in some other capacity.
"Several teachers who were registered as lab assistants or specialists, but who did not have the required language category, were still giving lessons, though the official claim was that the lessons were being delivered by other Estonian-speaking teachers. And this was not an isolated case," Jašin said.
"This case differs significantly from the situation in all other schools. The situation has escalated precisely in this academic year," he added. From the start of the current academic year, teachers in all high schools are required to have Estonian at B2 level in the Common European Framework, as part of the full transition to Estonian-only teaching nationwide.
Jašin said he learned of the inspection results on Tuesday, and the education department soon afterwards made the proposal to dismiss Teplov from his position as TKVG director.
The incoming Isamaa-Center city government must formally approve the decision, but according to Jašin this is a "pure formality."
"The administration simply has to acknowledge the termination of the contract submitted by the education department. So we can say Teplov has been fired," he added.
In a written statement sent to ERR, Teplov noted that the dismissal notice listed his termination date as December 4.
Teplov has been a member of the Center Party since 2005.
His replacement is being sought, while Mustamäe reaalgümnaasium high school director Natalia Vergun has been appointed caretaker principal in the meantime.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Marko Tooming
