Estonia’s large Russian-speaking minority used to be taught in Russian. The government has responded to Russia’s invasion with a reform to end this. Now, lessons will only be taught in Estonian.
Estonia’s large Russian-speaking minority used to be taught in Russian. The government has responded to Russia’s invasion with a reform to end this. Now, lessons will only be taught in Estonian.
How is the rest of Estonian society punished if children are not forced into classes taught in a language they don’t speak? And sure the previous isolation was also bad, but at least they were able to learn something.
Honestly… the amount of people here arguing like the children deserve any of this is very sad. Reminds me of Israelis arguing the Palestinian children deserve what is happening in Gaza. Are you even listening to yourself?
Society is punished by remaining divided.
I understand your frustration. I don’t think anyone believes that the children deserve this; only that it’s the least harmful way to solve a problem that the Russians created. There’s a big difference between the two.
If there were a better, faster, less disruptive option, we would be in favor of that.
There are better, slower ways.
Introducing this gradually (i.e. all children since a certain birth year), having extra language classes for the older children that need it. It’s not a uniquely Estonian problem, all places with migrants deal with children of linguistic minorities.
They’re children, the ones under 6 will adapt to a different language quite quickly and at 18 there were already no Russian language colleges, so even at its slowest it would only take 12 years.