Estonian commentator: switching to Estonian-language education is a matter of will, not ability
Estonian journalist Õnne Pillak criticizes Tallinn's city government for repeatedly delaying the transition to Estonian-language schooling, arguing children's education cannot wait for adults' excuses.
In a published commentary, Estonian journalist Õnne Pillak sharply criticizes Tallinn's city government and school administrations for continually postponing the transition to Estonian-language education by inventing new excuses. She notes that the deputy mayor responsible for education keeps finding fresh reasons why the switch cannot happen.
Pillak recalls that the decision to move to Estonian-language education was made four years ago, in December 2022, when the Riigikogu passed amendments to the Basic Schools and Upper Secondary Schools Act. Local governments have had several years to prepare, support teachers, and organize language training.
Political responsibility
According to Pillak, Tallinn has become hostage to a situation where the Isamaa party lacks the will to act against the wishes of Centre Party leader and city council chairman Mihhail Kõlvart, a former board member of the "Russian School in Estonia" movement who has consistently opposed the transition. Although Isamaa, upon taking power, promised to defend Estonian-language education, the deputy mayor post for education went to the Centre Party — the very party that voted against the reform in the Riigikogu.
The author stresses that learning a language is achievable given the will, citing examples of Ukrainian refugees, Britons married to Estonians, or Georgians who mastered Estonian within a few years, faster than many Russian-speaking residents who have lived in Estonia for decades. For those employed in public service, she argues, proficiency in the state language should not be exceptional but a basic requirement.
A security dimension
Pillak also links a unified education system and shared language space to social cohesion and national security, noting that a divided society serves the interests of an aggressive neighbor. She recalls former education minister Tõnis Lukas's 2023 statement that Tallinn's city government was deliberately obstructing the transition by seeking ways around the agreement or simply claiming it cannot manage. Three years later, she concludes, little has changed.
