A written motion submitted by 22 members of the Riigikogu for a vote of no confidence in the Minister of Education and Research, Kristina Kallas
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 3rd sitting, plenary session.
Date: 2024-05-06 19:09
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 155
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 2h 41m
AI Summaries: 155/155 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The Riigikogu discussed, as part of today's agenda, a motion of no confidence submitted against Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas by 22 members of the Riigikogu (from the factions of the Conservative People's Party of Estonia and the Estonian Centre Party). The main reasons for the no confidence motion were related to the ministry's administrative incompetence, particularly concerning glitches in the examination information system (EIS) during state gymnasium entrance exams and 9th-grade e-trial exams, for which the minister refused to take responsibility. The minister was also criticized for poorly handling the teachers' strike, delays in promised salary increases, and the chaotic implementation of the transition to Estonian-language instruction, which has led to significant teacher shortages, especially in Ida-Viru County and Tallinn.
Minister Kristina Kallas defended her actions, emphasizing that the EIS is a technically functional system and that the failure of the entrance exams was due to the ministry's failure to fulfill its maintenance obligation. She stressed that the transition to Estonian-language instruction is a historically necessary and unavoidable process aimed at ending segregation, and refuted accusations that she was acting against the constitution. Kallas pointed out that the delay in teachers' salary increases was caused by complex budgetary conditions and inadequate applications from local governments for the disbursement of subsidies. The coalition parties (Eesti 200, SDE, Reform Party) expressed support for the minister, calling the motion of no confidence a political spectacle related to the election campaign. As a result of the vote, the motion of no confidence did not pass.
Decisions Made 1
The Riigikogu did not pass a motion of no confidence against Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas. Twenty-five members of the Riigikogu voted in favor (of the motion), 60 voted against, and there were 0 abstentions.
Most Active Speaker
Martin Helme (EKRE) was the most active speaker, both as the initiator of the motion of no confidence and the one who posed repeated questions, representing a right-wing political stance.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar announced that the item on the agenda is the written motion of no confidence against the Minister of Education and Research, Kristina Kallas, submitted by 22 members of the Riigikogu, and that Riigikogu member Martin Helme will deliver the report.
Martin Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
The EKRE and Estonian Centre Party factions submitted a motion of no confidence against Kristina Kallas, accusing her of managerial incompetence, manipulating failures in the examination information system, and failing to deliver on promises, which has led to the deepening of the crisis surrounding the transition to Estonian-language education and the failure to resolve teachers' salary issues.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Jüri Ratas thanked Martin Helme and invited the Minister of Education and Research, Kristina Kallas, to the Riigikogu podium.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Education and Research Minister Kristina Kallas stressed that there are three primary issues facing the education sector: first, improving the recruitment pipeline and working conditions for teachers, in collaboration with local municipalities and teachers' unions; second, reducing the rate of young people dropping out of basic education and boosting the appeal of vocational education to encourage enrollment in vocational training; and third, achieving a unified Estonian-language school system by transitioning Russian-language schools and ensuring compliance with Estonian language proficiency requirements.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Chairman thanks the Minister, notes that there are indeed questions, and begins with the first question directed to Rene Kok.
AI Summary
Rene Kokk asks the Minister how large a sum has been spent in your sector on developing the non-functioning examination information system, whether anyone has been held responsible, and if so, what form that accountability took?
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Kristina Kallas confirmed that the examination information system is fully functional and can be successfully utilized for organizing exams, standardized assessments, and entrance examinations, but specifically for the entrance examinations, the system would have needed to be reconfigured and load testing performed.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar invites Mart Helme to take the floor.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Mart Helme claims that the e-exam system, which took six years to develop, is actually non-functional and represents a waste of money. He also brings up the failure to deliver on promises regarding the Metsküla school and asks what the government is doing to ensure schools in rural areas survive.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Kristina Kallas stated that the Ministry of Education is involved in the Metsküla school litigation to protect the state's vision for the school network. This vision focuses on the preservation of local 6-grade schools via a separate funding mechanism, for which applications have already been submitted and funding secured. She noted that while the state cannot nationalize the school or forbid municipalities from making closure decisions, local governments are autonomous, and the state's role is to guide and provide financial support so that young children have access to a school close to home.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart criticizes the minister for refusing to take responsibility and instead looking for scapegoats. She also asks how many school and kindergarten directors would have to resign in September if a school somewhere lacked a teacher who met the qualification requirements.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanks Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Kristina Kallas said that the presence of a teacher for every class is always the responsibility of the school maintainer and the school principal, and that as a minister, acting as the school maintainer, I am responsible for ensuring that on September 1st, there is a teacher in front of every class in state schools. However, decisions concerning Narva cannot be made without data from the local governments, and the biggest concern relates to teachers who do not meet the language requirements in the Russian schools of Lüganuse and Kiviõli, as well as in some other towns.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar invites Aleksandr Tšaplõgin to speak.
Aleksandr Tšaplõgin
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
The speaker notes that a pedagogical degree is no longer required to work in schools, and inquires what percentage of teachers do not possess this qualification.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas stated that while teachers' pedagogical education remains necessary, if recruitment efforts fail, individuals who currently do not meet the requirements for the teaching profession (though language requirements must still be met) can be hired for a period of one year. She noted that approximately 80% of teachers meet the qualification requirements while 20% do not, and for this latter group, there is a plan to use micro-qualifications to accelerate the acquisition of the teaching profession for those who have entered the field from other sectors.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar asks Helle-Moonika Helme to speak.
Helle-Moonika Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helme asked why the Secretary General of the Ministry of Education and Research got involved in a smear campaign and caused the respected lecturer Rea Raus to lose her job, and whether the minister can keep the Secretary General under control or consider replacing them.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Kristina Kallas stated that she is not qualified to comment on the events of 2015 or the civil lawsuit between the chancellor and Rea Raus, because the matter does not concern the Ministry of Education or the period when she worked there, and the dispute might end up in court.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vooglaid pointed out that the Lithuanian Minister of Education had resigned over similar issues—issues that are very much like those in Estonia—and questioned why Estonians aren't taking responsibility and acting accordingly.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar calls Varro Vooglaid to the stage.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Kristina Kallas stated that the major mistake was the ministry allowing schools to use EIS for entrance exams, even though the system was not intended for this purpose and the state failed to ensure technical support, which caused problems during the entrance tests for state gymnasiums in Tallinn and Harju County, despite the e-trial exams being successful.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The next speaker is our colleague, Kert Kingo.
Kert Kingo
AI Summary
Kert Kingo accuses the presiding officer of supporting the ardent LGBT movement and introducing its agenda into school curricula, claiming that this was done behind parents' backs without their consent, and has caused confusion, mental health problems, and strained family relationships among children and youth, and calls on him to take responsibility and resign.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Kristina Kallas said that she doesn't know what is being talked about, and that as a minister, she hasn't made a single curriculum change.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
He asked that Poolamets be given the floor.
Anti Poolamets
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anti Poolamets expresses deep concern that, for the first time in Estonia, Estonian children might lose the Estonian-language learning environment in their own homeland, and consequently, they might start speaking their mother tongue incorrectly—not only during language lessons, but also during recess and in their interactions at preschool institutions.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Kristina Kallas stated that starting September 1st, all groups will be taught in Estonian. However, the language immersion methodology is not suitable for children whose native language is Estonian. Furthermore, when forming groups and classes, decisions must be based on the child's language proficiency level and the language of instruction, ensuring that the teaching aligns with their capabilities.
Martin Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Martin Helme accuses the opposition of intending to eradicate Estonianness from the country, citing a Sirp article and a 2021 ETV interview. He further claims that transitioning Estonian-language instruction into the same schools as children who lack proficiency in the language would constitute an attempt to destroy Estonian identity.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar addresses his colleague Martin Helme and asks him for something.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
He/She stated that the future of Estonia is a single, unified school where children whose home languages are Estonian, Russian, and Ukrainian study together, integrate, and all have an equal opportunity to gain an education and pursue further studies.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar calls Toomas Uibo forward.
Toomas Uibo
Profiling Eesti 200 fraktsioonAI Summary
Toomas Uibo thanked the presiding officer and the minister, emphasizing that the unified Estonian school is only the beginning of the process. He then asked how long this process would take, when results could be expected, and what the main current problems were.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas stated that until a generation emerges that is proficient in Estonian starting from kindergarten, children whose home language is Russian must be offered special support and separate instruction (especially in mathematics and natural sciences), utilizing language immersion methods. However, classes in music and art may still be held together.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar addresses Arvo Aller and says, "Arvo Aller, please!"
Arvo Aller
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Arvo Aller criticizes the decisions made by local governments to close schools, doing so in the context of the April 9th exam and the resignation of his Lithuanian colleague. He also asks why additional funding is being provided for basic schools if gymnasiums are being closed, and whether this is shaping the future of the Estonian school system.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Kristina Kallas said that the trial exam held on April 9 demonstrated the functionality of the e-exam environment, and technical errors were found and corrected. She added that the state has put forward a proposal for reorganizing the school network of Toila and Iisaku gymnasiums in Ida-Virumaa—due to the falling number of students and the need for investments from European Union funds—the final decision for which rests with the local governments.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar requests Igor Taro to come here.
Igor Taro
AI Summary
Igor Taro denounces the motion of no confidence as extremely hypocritical, drawing a parallel with the sympathetic dissenting vote concerning the statement on the Moscow Patriarchate. He then asks the minister what the cost would be to Estonian society, culture, and language if the ambitious and historically complex reform of transitioning to Estonian-language education were to fail due to internal political reasons.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Kristina Kallas stated that we have paid a very high price because for 30 consecutive years, young graduates have not mastered the Estonian language at a sufficient level. Consequently, they cannot pursue further education or realize their potential in Estonia. The population exists within two separate information spaces, and the current cost is tens of thousands of young people who have been unable to realize their potential here in Estonia. Furthermore, the 2014 Russian aggression against Ukraine revealed the young generation's differing perceptions of Russia.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Chairman calls upon Jaak Valge to speak.
Jaak Valge
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Jaak Valge criticized the minister's repeated visits to dictatorship countries, asking what cooperation opportunities were found there and whether they are appropriate at a time when Estonian education is in crisis.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Education and Research Minister Kristina Kallas stated that she visited the United Arab Emirates twice: the first time, she represented the Estonian state business delegation at GITEX, where she discussed the sale and implementation of digital solutions. The second time, she was invited to present digital solutions for Estonian schools and to foster market exploration for EdTech companies and develop university cooperation, specifically including finding Asian partnership relations for the University of Tartu.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar invited Vadim Belobrovtsev to the podium.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Vadim Belobrovtsev pointed out that the coefficient added to the salary of teachers teaching in Estonian in Ida-Virumaa had been delayed two times in a row, and he asked the minister for a guarantee that such a mistake would not be repeated a third time.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
The Minister of Education and Research, Kristina Kallas, stated before the Riigikogu that applications for teachers’ salary support submitted by local authorities are frequently incomplete (lacking information on Estonian language proficiency, workloads, and diplomas). This deficiency causes delays and necessitates the request for supplementary documentation. Consequently, the procedure is being amended so that the deadline for submitting applications for the autumn September round will be moved earlier. The goal is to ensure that teachers manage to submit their documents and the subsidies can be disbursed during September. Local governments whose documentation is fully compliant will receive the funding immediately, while processing for others will proceed following the necessary administrative actions and controls.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi calls Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart stated that the minister failed to answer how many principals must resign in September (referring to schools in Lüganuse, Maardu, and Ida-Viru County). She then recalled the unfulfilled government promise to pay teachers 120% of the Estonian average salary—a failure that culminated in a strike—and questioned how to evaluate the government's efficiency and promptness in resolving this matter, given that roughly nine months have passed since September and the current government has been in office for just over a year.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas said that a joint effort must be made to ensure that principals remain in their posts and teachers are in the classrooms, and that the 120% promise outlined in the coalition agreement must be achieved by 2027.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Toomas Kivimägi calls upon Evelin Poolamets to speak.
Evelin Poolamets
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
This is a critical and accusatory speech, claiming that Kristina Kallas failed to prevent the teachers' strike and is therefore a failure herself.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Kallas noted that the strike could not be prevented due to the tightness of the state budget, and there was no funding available for teacher salaries and other costs, which is why every euro for salary increases had to be found through cuts, although the ideal scenario would have been to reach an agreement back in August. She added that the reason does not lie merely in the minimum wage, but rather in the heavy workload of teachers and the inadequacy of organizational agreements related to school operators.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
He asks Henn Põlluaas to speak.
Henn Põlluaas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Henn Põlluaas addresses Indrek Tarand’s defense letter, published in Postimees in the context of the motion of no confidence. The letter defends the minister and claims that the lack of substance in education policy stems from the actions of other government members, and Põlluaas gives the minister an opportunity to respond.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
He apologized, explaining that he hadn't fully grasped the question, and has repeatedly stated before the Riigikogu that the Ministry of Education is to blame for the failures of the entrance exams.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The address was a brief request directed at Aleksandr Tšaplõgin.
Aleksandr Tšaplõgin
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
He/She asks how many teachers will lose their jobs after August 1st, who will replace them, and whether the minister has the data on this.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Kristina Kallas said that 90 teachers must acquire C1-level Estonian language proficiency by September 1st in order to teach in Estonian in the first and fourth grades; if they fail to do so, they will not be able to continue in that position. Additionally, 518 teachers who teach in Russian must acquire B2-level language proficiency starting in August, even though most of them are making a great effort and the majority of them cannot be replaced this autumn.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The message was a simple, direct request: to call Aleksei Yevgrafov to the stage.
Aleksei Jevgrafov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Aleksei Jevgrafov asked the minister about the legal basis allowing teachers who teach in Russian in Sillamäe schools to work for three years without B2-level Estonian language proficiency, referencing a Postimees article and Kristina Kalla's claim.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
The Minister of Education and Research, Kristina Kallas, stated that the Postimees story is untrue, and the real issue is that 518 teachers do not meet the B2 language proficiency requirement and therefore cannot continue teaching in Russian starting August 1st—a situation that demands a solution.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Toomas Kivimägi calls upon Varro Vooglaid to speak.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vooglaid refers to the preamble of the Estonian Constitution, which emphasizes the inalienable right of the people to self-determination and the preservation of culture, and asks whether the assertion that the state's task should not be to support Estonian identity and the language is true, and how this aligns with the preamble.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Kristina Kallas emphasized that the Estonian state's task is not limited to that; rather, it must support those people whose home language is not Estonian so that they can become part of the Estonian state, and Estonian-language instruction must be guaranteed for children whose home language is Russian.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi calls Lauri Laats forward.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Kristina Kallas told Postimees that the problem in Sillamäe is not with the teachers of the first and fourth grades, but rather with the remaining subject teachers who are allowed to continue teaching in Russian for the next three years, but who lack B2 level proficiency in the Estonian language.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
People are saying that they lack the necessary skill.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats is asking how they plan to address the teacher shortage, given that 90 teachers are currently needed and 518 do not have B2 level proficiency in Estonian.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas emphasizes that teachers who fail to meet the B2 level requirement, which has been in force since 2011, will not be able to continue working in schools. She stressed that the final deadline must be adhered to, as the Riigikogu decision cannot be altered and must be fulfilled completely.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi calls Kert Kingo to the stage.
Kert Kingo
AI Summary
Kert Kingo states that under the slogan of transitioning to Estonian-language education, Estonian kindergartens and schools have been Russianized, resulting in a predominance of Russian-speaking children. She claims this puts the educational development of Estonian children at a standstill and fails to improve Estonian language proficiency. Furthermore, she questions whether the actual goal is turning Estonia into a Russian-speaking country.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas said that if a kindergarten group is predominantly made up of Russian-speaking children, the group must ensure support for their Estonian language development and provide an Estonian-language learning and upbringing environment. Starting September 1st, this environment must be Estonian for all children, and adults must communicate with the children in Estonian. At the same time, the development of the mother tongue of Estonian-speaking children must not be neglected.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Toomas Kivimägi invites Rain Epler to the stage.
Rain Epler
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Rain Epler criticizes the unscientific stance on the existence of two sexes, citing individuals working in medical clinics who have come forward as whistleblowers and the results of the UK audit concerning the ban on puberty blockers, and asks the Minister of Education whether their position has changed in recent weeks.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas stated that there are two biological sexes, and while a person's gender identity does not always align with their biological sex, it usually does, and this is a scientific viewpoint.
Martin Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Martin Helme accuses his opponents of left-radical propaganda, recalling that some of the exams were an experiment where children were tested for flaws, claiming they are working against the constitution and building a multicultural Estonia. He alleges that, under the guise of transitioning to Estonian-language education, Estonian children are being forced into non-Estonian school environments and that rural schools are being closed under their leadership. Finally, he asks what their solution is for the thousand missing teachers and how they plan to ensure Estonian-language education everywhere.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Toomas Kivimägi makes a request to Martin Helme.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas stated that Estonian-language education is achievable everywhere. However, we currently face the challenge of 90 teachers whose Estonian language proficiency does not meet the standards, despite being required to teach in Estonian. Replacements for these positions must be found before September 1st, particularly in Tallinn, Tartu, Kohtla-Järve, Jõhvi, and Sillamäe, but she remains confident that all first and fourth-grade children will receive their education in Estonian.
Anti Poolamets
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anti Poolamets claims the minister is speaking unscientifically about social genders and that their Secretary-General is harassing Rea Raus. He is demanding resignation, recalling the minister's 2018 remark about a half-Russian person, and stressing that the debate should focus on serious issues, not ethnic origin.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Toomas Kivimägi calls upon Anti Poolamets.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas called for a scientific debate on gender issues, noting that she comes from a mixed-family background and is well acquainted with Russian culture. She emphasized that this topic is highly sensitive in Estonia and that her ethnic affiliation might expose her to attacks regarding it.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Please welcome Ants Frosch to the stage.
Ants Frosch
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Ants Frosch asks how to assist non-Estonian speaking children in small schools, and what parents should do when special support is lacking and the Estonian-language curriculum remains uncompleted, and how this also affects Estonian children.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas emphasized that additional Estonian language instruction and the involvement of assistant teachers must be ensured in schools for children who do not speak Estonian, and the lack of resources for inclusive education must be addressed comprehensively.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Toomas Kivimägi calls upon Helle-Moonika Helme to speak.
Helle-Moonika Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
He claims that learning the Estonian language neither eliminates segregation nor increases loyalty toward the Estonian state, and similar national divisions exist in other countries, which is why Estonian-language unrest might occur in the future.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Kristina Kallas stated that neither language proficiency, nor a passport, nor citizenship guarantees loyalty. She further emphasized that genuine integration is achieved by studying together and living within a shared cultural space, as well as through reducing socio-economic and geographical segregation.
Alar Laneman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Alar Laneman asks whether the minister's sincerity and performance are affected by his specific relationship with the Russian language and the allegations reported in the media, and whether matters concerning the Estonian language and culture are still crucial for the state, or if the prevailing impression is that they are not important.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Alar Laneman is called upon to speak.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas stated that there must no longer be any obstacles to Estonian-language instruction in Estonia, and all children, regardless of their home language, must be guaranteed the opportunity to study in Estonian, because the constitution grants this right, and the experience in Narva demonstrates how long this has been lacking.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi invites Jaak Valge to the stage.
Jaak Valge
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Jaak Valge asks whether the government genuinely believes that higher education requires only funding, not reforms, pointing to the endless or countless working groups and commissions that have been established, as well as OECD data which indicates the lowest private sector contribution to universities in Estonia and a low wage premium.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Kristina Kallas said that higher education in Estonia currently remains free of charge, and a reform of private funding and student loans is necessary because the emigration of young people is increasing and loan conditions are unattractive for young people. Furthermore, a loan reform will be carried out in cooperation with banks before the next academic year, but she does not currently see a plan for introducing tuition fees.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
During the speech, Evelin Poolamets was invited to the stage.
Evelin Poolamets
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Evelin Poolamets is criticizing the prime minister, who mocked teachers and recommended promoting the motor vehicle tax as a way to raise wages, and she is now asking for a comment regarding the matter.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Kallas stated that budget expenditures have been exceeding revenues for a decade, and in order to raise teachers' salaries, revenues need to be increased, for example, by introducing a car tax.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The server calls Aleksei Yevgrafov up to perform.
Aleksei Jevgrafov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
He/She criticizes the fact that when problems arise at the Ministry of Education and Research, others are always blamed, and asks the minister whether he/she has truly taken responsibility and done everything correctly.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas said that the functioning of general education requires cooperation between all parties—local governments, the private sector, and the state—as well as the elimination of errors in applications, because the correctness of payments depends on the proper use of taxpayer money.
Arvo Aller
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
The speaker highlights the lack of funding for local governments concerning the transition to Estonian-language education, refers to the forecasts made regarding the number of students in Toila until 2047, and asks how many times a year lists of teachers who qualify for enhanced support must be submitted in Ida-Viru County.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Vice-Speaker Toomas Kivimägi invites Arvo Aller to the stage.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Local governments are required to submit applications for teachers' salary support twice a year—in January and September—because teaching staff turnover occurs and the relevant data is constantly changing.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Toomas Kivimägi invited Vadim Belobrovtsev to speak.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Vadim Belobrovtsev highlights the concern regarding the long-awaited salary supplements for teachers in Ida-Viru County, and the delay in funding for teachers who teach Estonian to new immigrants under a state commission, noting that due to this delay, the money will only reach the local municipalities by the end of the school year.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Kristina Kallas said that she was unaware that it had been delayed, and she needs to clarify why the money has been held up, but currently she cannot provide the reason for the delay in payment.
Rain Epler
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Rain Epler stated that while he does not see grounds for the minister's resignation, he is raising the question of the Ministry of Education's purview and requesting examples of what would constitute sufficient grounds for a minister to step down.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The speech opens with a request to call Rain Epler to the stage.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Kristina Kallas said that admission tests are the schools' own responsibility and every school has its own rules, but the tool provided by the state failed to function, and if the national exams fail, the minister should resign.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Toomas Kivimägi expresses hope that the questioner is not banking on that, and addresses Mart Helme with a request.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Mart Helme criticizes the coalition, claiming they are refusing to resign, and asks whether the goal of the unified Estonian-language education policy is to pave the way for Estonia officially becoming a bilingual state where Russian would be the second official language.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
The substance of the speech was the claim that nothing exists.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Toomas Kivimägi invited Irja Lutsar onto the stage and asked her to speak.
Irja Lutsar
Profiling Eesti 200 fraktsioonAI Summary
He asks whether children from Russian-speaking homes attending Estonian schools would improve the Estonian language skills of their parents and grandparents, and reduce the future need for Russian translation in hospitals, so that people would feel comfortable in Estonia.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Kristina Kallas said that although learning the Estonian language could motivate parents, the state is unable, given the current budget and economic situation, to cover the Estonian language instruction for all approximately 150,000 adults, and currently, education workers are being prioritized.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi called upon Ants Frosch to ask his second question.
Ants Frosch
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Ants Frosch expresses concern over the lack of specialized support, a situation that results in some Estonian children experiencing educational developmental delays and falling behind in mainstream classes. He then asks whether special assistance should be initiated for these children.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas emphasized the general principle that children needing special support require separate instruction and support classes in certain subjects so they can progress at their own pace, while others can study together and teaching assistants can help. She added that she could not comment on the specific organizational arrangements of that particular school.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The Deputy Speaker addresses Alar Laneman and invites him to take the floor.
Alar Laneman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Alar Laneman continued his previous question, highlighting that the statements made by the minister and Ants Frosh reflect a disregard for Estonian language and culture. He then asked whether the concern that has arisen regarding Estonian-language education is inevitable, or if there is some other reason behind it, pointing specifically to the student-to-school ratio and the level of teacher qualifications.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas stressed that ethnic quotas must not be imposed in Estonian-language schools, and when assembling class groups, the assessment must focus on the children’s level of Estonian language proficiency and their need for language learning support, rather than their ethnic origin.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The speech requested that Signe Kivi be invited.
Signe Kivi
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Signe Kivi commends the minister, stressing the immense challenge involved in the transition to Estonian-language education, and finally asks what the minister considers their greatest success and what failure they might point out.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas stated that education reforms are a long haul, and the transition to e-exams, initiated in 2017, along with the shift to Estonian-language instruction, are still ongoing. To reach a successful conclusion, unity must be maintained, because solving the monumental task facing 70 schools requires schools, teachers, parents, society as a whole, and politicians to work together, given that the real conflict has been between politicians, not within the education sector itself.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Toomas Kivimägi asked Peeter Tali to come forward and speak.
Peeter Tali
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Peeter Tali suspects that this massive political attack and vote of no confidence is intended precisely to throw the transition process to unified Estonian-language education off balance, or to negotiate special conditions for Narva, Sillamäe, Maardu, and perhaps the districts of Tallinn.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Kristina Kallas emphasizes that the transition to Estonian-language instruction is primarily a subject of debate taking place in the Riigikogu, not a problem specific to Narva schools. For this transition to be successfully implemented, the shortage of 518 teachers must be resolved, and we must strive all the way to the summit of Everest, rather than remaining in base camp.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Leo Kunnas concludes the round of questions.
Leo Kunnas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Leo Kunnas posed a question in the Riigikogu concerning the future prospects of Orava Basic School and the Vastseliina and Räpina Gymnasiums.
Haridus- ja teadusminister Kristina Kallas
AI Summary
Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas announced that negotiations have begun with the Setomaa and Räpina municipalities concerning the Vastseliina and Räpina gymnasiums, aiming to establish a joint education center. This center would be based at the Räpina Vocational School, offering general secondary (gymnasium), applied higher, vocational, and adult education levels, and would ultimately become a joint school managed by the Setomaa municipality, the Räpina municipality, and the state starting in 2028.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
There are no further questions. A big thank you to the esteemed Minister of Education and Research, Kristina Kallas. The floor is now open for debate, and Toomas Uibo from the Eesti 200 faction will be the first speaker.
Toomas Uibo
Profiling Eesti 200 fraktsioonAI Summary
Toomas Uibo defended Kristina Kallas's tenure as Minister of Education, asserting that the transition to Estonian-language education and the implementation of other reforms are long-awaited necessities for Estonia, and that the motion of no confidence is baseless.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Raimond Kaljulaid is invited to take the floor on behalf of the Social Democratic faction.
Raimond Kaljulaid
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Raimond Kaljulaid confirmed his confidence in Education Minister Kallas, noting that the opposition is engaged in election campaigning and has failed to present any substantive issues regarding the management of the reform, and that while the reform is important, there is no need to replace the minister.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Helle-Moonika Helme, speaking on behalf of the EKRE faction, offers thanks and makes a request.
Helle-Moonika Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
The Riigikogu has tabled a motion of no confidence against the Minister of Education and Research, Kristina Kallas, accusing her of inadequate leadership, which has resulted in a crisis in the education sector, a growing shortage of teachers, and emerging conflicts regarding language and integration policy.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi asks for the debate to continue for three additional minutes.
Helle-Moonika Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helle-Moonika Helme accuses the government of directing millions towards foreign aid (including for Ukraine) while leaving Estonian-language education and domestic needs unfunded, and calls on members of the Riigikogu to stand up and defend the Estonian nation-state and the interests of Estonian-language education.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Chair thanked them for the precise timing, and Vadim Belobrovtsev then took the floor on behalf of the faction.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Belobrovtsev stresses that while the coalition defends the minister, the education sector faces systemic problems and funding delays, ranging from the failures of e-assessments and delays in paying teachers' salaries in Ida-Virumaa, to the concerns surrounding the transition to Estonian-language instruction, adding that the minister's assertions that the situation is under control do not reflect reality.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi asks for three more minutes.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Belobrovtsev criticizes the minister for failing to take responsibility and for constantly seeking to blame others for everything, emphasizing that the closure of schools and the shortage of teachers threaten communities and force parents to move their children to big cities.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi announced that the negotiations would be closed shortly, but before that, Urmas Reinsalu requested three additional minutes on behalf of the Isamaa faction.
Urmas Reinsalu
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Reinsalu said that Isamaa must implement the transition to Estonian-language education vigorously and without exceptions. He does not trust Kaja Kallas’s government and wants the government to resign, but the transition must continue, and the minister’s criticism is justified, meaning the policy must be corrected if necessary.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
He thanks and requests that Erkki Keldo represent the Reform Party faction.
Erkki Keldo
AI Summary
Erkki Keldo called the motion of no confidence a political spectacle and stressed that the transition to Estonian-language education and the raising of teachers' salaries are long-term reforms for which the government has allocated funding, adding that further discussion should be substantive, not merely campaign rhetoric.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi closed the debate, thanked the rapporteur, and confirmed the right to a rejoinder, inviting Urmas Reinsalu to deliver his reply.
Urmas Reinsalu
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Reinsalu stated that this was pure sloganeering, recalled the achievements made during the coalition—the increase in teachers' salaries and the transition to Estonian-language education—and accused the Reform Party of populism in the name of power and failing to deliver on promises, including setting the minimum salary threshold for teachers above 2,000 euros.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi stated that there is an opportunity for a right of reply during the discussions, and since the factions have participated, three to six rebuttal speeches must be heard if anyone has been mentioned. Since the Centre Party (Keskerakond) had been mentioned repeatedly, he requested that Lauri Laats be given the floor for a reply.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
In summary, it is stressed that the motion of no confidence does not assert that we are opposed to Estonian-language education. Instead, the issues are caused by the teacher shortage, an inadequate long-term vision, and the minister's insufficient responses to the Riigikogu's questions.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi called upon Helle-Moonika Helme to deliver a response speech.
Helle-Moonika Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helle-Moonika Helme refutes Erkki Keldo's claim that they never voted against the transition to Estonian-language education; the truth is, they did vote against it, but the reason was the Reform Party's intentions.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The Vice-Chair requests everyone to be silent and announces that currently, only Helle-Moonika is speaking.
Helle-Moonika Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helle-Moonika Helme claims that when the Reform Party submitted a draft bill stipulating that local governments or school boards could decide that up to 50% of instruction would take place in another language, they voted against it. When that specific clause was removed from the early childhood education bill, they voted in favor of making early childhood education Estonian-language across the whole of Estonia, and she asks them to stop lying.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi informed the chamber that the third round of negotiations has concluded, preparations for the final vote are complete, and he is now initiating the vote on the motion of no confidence against the Minister of Education and Research, Kristina Kallas. He requests that colleagues take a position and cast their vote.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The Riigikogu failed to pass a vote of no confidence against the Minister of Education and Research, Kristina Kallas, as 60 members voted against the motion, 25 voted in favor, and there were no abstentions.