City officials say the transition to Estonian-language education is a long-term and dynamic process dependent on staffing and funding.

A proposal before the city council would allow grades 7–9 in the affected schools to continue instruction in Russian during the 2026-2027 school year.

The main issue noted in the bill is a lack of teachers and support staff with C1-level Estonian willing and able to teach and provide services at such a high proficiency level. Officials say that gap makes a full, immediate switch to Estonian unrealistic.

School boards at the 20 schools have backed the plan and asked Tallinn City Council to approve it.

These include Ehte High School of Humanities, Tallinn Haabersti High School, Karjamaa Basic School, Lasnamäe High School, Lasnamäe Basic School, Tähesaju High School, Tallinn High School No. 53, Tallinn High School of Humanities, Tallinn Jewish School, Tallinn Kadaka Basic School, Tallinn Central Russian High School, Tallinn Linnamäe Russian High School, Tallinn Läänemere High School, Tallinn Mahtra Basic School, Tallinn Mustamäe High School of Humanities, Tallinn Mustamäe High School of Sciences, Tallinn Mustjõe High School, Tallinn Pae High School, Tallinn Tõnismäe School of Sciences and Tallinn Õismäe Russian High School.

The explanatory note accompanying the bill says Estonian-language instruction will still be provided in line with the national curriculum, with added support to help students transition as quickly as possible.

Tallinn Deputy Mayor for Education Andrei Kante (Center) is set to present the proposal at Tuesday's city government meeting.

Plan draws mixed reactions

Ida-Virumaa Vocational Education Center (IVKHK) principal Hendrik Agur criticized the move Tuesday, expressing frustration as an Isamaa supporter over the Center-Isamaa coalition-led city's feeble justifications for continuing Russian-language instruction in schools.

Last month, IVKHK announced it would end its Russian-language continuing education programs, and that starting this fall, phase out the "60/40" model of partially Russian-language instruction as it completes the switch to fully Estonian.

A former longtime principal of Tallinn's elite Gustav Adolf High School (GAG), Agur has repeatedly flagged weak Estonian skills among students from the country's Russian-language schools.

He said he feels sorry for students being kept in their comfort zone at the expense of their future education prospects.

"And just like that, the future burden of really teaching Estonian is being dumped mainly on vocational schools and high schools," Agur added. "That's low, really low."

Tallinn Mayor Peeter Raudsepp (Isamaa) defended the city's approach, however, noting that the full transition to Estonian-language education remains on track.

"Next school year, there will be less than half as many classes taught in another language as before," Raudsepp said Tuesday.

He added that the city's decision to allow Russian-language instruction in these select schools is largely a formality, since the full transition will take three more years to complete.

"My city government is doing everything it can to make the transition as smooth as possible," the mayor said, adding that the City of Tallinn is investing €10.2 million in the effort this year.

Full transition to Estonian expected by 2030

Under Estonia's nationwide transition to Estonian-language education, instruction in all kindergartens and in grades 1 and 4 switched to Estonian starting September 1, 2024.

Amendments to the Basic Schools and Upper Secondary Schools Act provide for a phased transition by grade and school year. As a result, the transition to Estonian in formerly Russian-language kindergartens and schools began in September 2024 and is expected to be completed by 2030.

In the 2024-2025 school year, non-Estonian instruction was permitted in 566 basic school classes, including 138 special needs classrooms.

In the current, 2025-2026 school year, it was permitted in 426 classes, including 117 special needs classrooms.

For 2026-2027, permission for non-Estonian instruction is being sought for 273 classes, including 85 special needs classrooms.

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