By Plenary Sessions: Liina Kersna

The speaker supports the growth of the education sector budget, deeming it important. At the same time, they strongly criticize the Ministry of Education and Research for the lack of transparency and the contradictory nature of its budget procedure when funding the transition to Estonian-language education, focusing on the effectiveness and logic of the government’s actions.

The political position is strongly opposed to raising the minimum threshold for the school lunch subsidy, stressing that this is fundamentally a question of priorities. He/She emphasizes that 30 million euros should instead be directed toward increasing teacher salaries (with the goal of achieving at least a 10% growth), arguing that this is more crucial for ensuring quality education. His/Her approach is policy-driven, focusing on the government's budgetary priorities and securing educational quality through teacher compensation. He/She defends the government's view that amending the law is not the appropriate method for increasing the subsidy.

The political stance is strongly focused on reforming education policy, particularly ending the selection process for first grade, a decision supported by scientific evidence. Furthermore, the speaker stresses the necessity of amending the law governing gymnasium entrance examinations to resolve the procedural confusion that has arisen regarding the prioritization of school preferences. The speaker frames their position based on core values, referencing the foundations of Estonian society: freedom and responsibility.

The speaker represents the Reform Party faction, expressing strong opposition to the Centre Party's proposal regarding the organization of work in the Riigikogu, emphasizing the necessity of actually getting work done. He/She also serves as the spokesperson for the Culture Committee, managing the process of selecting experts for the national broadcasting council—a clearly policy- and procedure-driven approach. His/Her positions are aimed at ensuring the efficiency of the Riigikogu's operations and guaranteeing the competent management of the cultural sector.

The political focus is heavily directed toward ensuring the stability of the education system and supporting teachers, particularly retaining those starting without formal qualifications within the system. The speaker vigorously supports extending the contracts of teachers starting without qualifications and guaranteeing them time for mentorship and self-development (25% of their working hours). These positions are primarily policy- and solution-based, emphasizing the critical need to prevent the collapse of the education system.

The political focus is on strongly supporting the legislation governing the organization of research, development, and innovation (RDI). This position is strongly policy-driven, emphasizing that a clear structure for funding and accountability is necessary for the enrichment of society and for making the economy smarter. The speaker, on behalf of the Reform Party faction, strongly recommends supporting the bill.

The political position heavily focuses on the secure deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) and state oversight regarding the processing of sensitive data. The speaker explicitly supports increasing the number of doctoral positions in AI fields from 300 to 500, thereby linking technological advancement with educational policy. This approach is future-oriented and policy-driven, emphasizing inter-institutional cooperation and the enhancement of national capabilities.

The politician focuses heavily on education policy, especially adapting to the AI Age and increasing the attainment of higher education (goal 45%). He strongly supports strategic investments in human capital and technology (TI-Leap, doctoral studies), justifying this with long-term economic and social benefits. Concern is expressed regarding the impact on adult education if repeated learning becomes subject to fees. The stance is primarily policy-driven and future-oriented.

The most crucial topic is the appointment of new expert members to the council of the Estonian Public Broadcasting (ERR), which is being addressed procedurally and based on existing legislation. The speaker strongly supports the Culture Committee's decision to nominate Paavo Nõgene and Raul Rebane to the council due to their recognized expertise. Furthermore, there is a strong emphasis on the need to improve the council's gender balance, calling upon the parliamentary groups (factions) to replace their representatives. The political framework is rather policy-driven, focusing on legal compliance and the quality of governance.

The speaker is heavily focused on ensuring the vitality of the Estonian language and culture, viewing this as a constitutional duty. They strongly support the extension of the Estonia National Opera, designating it a cultural object of national importance. Furthermore, the speaker questions the horizontal management of language policy and proposes its centralization under the Ministry of Education and Research for increased efficiency. Their political framework is primarily value-based (the obligation to care) and policy-based (management structures).

The political focus is on developing the Estonian language within the context of artificial intelligence, underscoring the corresponding constitutional obligation. The politician strongly supports the plan to double the Estonian language corpus and expand it to 15 billion words, while simultaneously demanding concrete actions and accountability. Their approach is heavily oriented toward policy implementation and core values (the constitutional mandate).

The political focus is centered on evaluating the government’s progress toward its economic objectives, highlighting the necessity of an economy driven by higher added value. The stance taken is moderately critical because the current rate of doctoral degree defenses in Estonia falls short of the level required to achieve the stated goals. The overall framework is distinctly results- and policy-driven, directly linking economic growth to advancements in education and science.

The political focus is on the reform of funding for science and higher education (TAIKS). The speaker moderately supports better integration of funding sources, while simultaneously strongly emphasizing the importance of universities' financial autonomy as a value that must be defended. The positions taken are primarily policy-based, focusing on improving the system's coherence and efficiency.

The political focus is on the implementation and effectiveness of social services, particularly mental health support for youth. The speaker expresses strong criticism regarding the Ministry's actions, citing insufficient public awareness campaigns and a potential decline in service quality. Their position is strongly oriented towards policy effectiveness, demanding adherence to professional standards.

The political focus is currently on the draft amendment to the Adult Education Act, which establishes the concept of micro-qualification at the statutory level. The speaker strongly supports the bill, emphasizing the necessity of aligning the legislation with the practice already offered by universities (176 micro-degrees). The approach is policy-driven and centers on the quality of drafting legislation and procedural correctness.

The political position is strongly supportive of raising the compulsory education age to 18, emphasizing the substantive educational changes that accompany this move. The stance is policy-driven, focusing on the flexibility and individuality of learning paths. A significant concern raised is the need to ensure sufficient additional funding starting from 2026 to increase teacher salaries and implement the career model.

The political stance strongly supports the statutory recognition of micro-qualifications and micro-degrees, viewing this as a long-prepared and essential reform. This position is policy-driven, emphasizing the establishment of a legal framework and the speaker's personal contribution to initiating the draft legislation during their tenure as minister. The introduction of the bill is met with optimism regarding its final submission to the Riigikogu (Parliament).

The focus is on quality control within the legal system and standards for legal education, which is being addressed as a systemic problem due to the low pass rate of the judicial examination. The speaker poses a moderated, policy-driven question to clarify whether the poor performance indicates inadequate education or if the standard (the bar) is set too high.

The speaker's primary political position is one of strong support for investments in research and development (R&D), which they deem essential for economic growth. They criticize the government's plan to cut R&D funding due to a negative supplementary budget. This position centers on policy effectiveness, stressing the necessity of investing, even if it requires using borrowed funds, to avoid making cuts.

The political stance heavily emphasizes proactive social policy, stressing that this approach is more economically efficient than merely addressing the consequences. The speaker supports increasing the budget for parenting programs and wants to know the scope of the proposed expansion of their target audience. The focus remains on the effectiveness of the policy and the strategic utilization of resources.

The political stance is one of strong support for the draft amendment to the Education Act, which aims to free up school places currently held by Ukrainian children who have departed Estonia. This position is clearly policy-driven, underscoring the significance and merit of the bill in ensuring the efficiency of the Estonian education system. The speaker stresses the necessity of establishing a legal basis for removing students from the registers so that Estonian children can utilize the newly available slots.

Strongly supports evidence-based education reforms, such as delaying the start of the school day and integrating physical movement into the curriculum, emphasizing their positive impact on learning outcomes and mental health. The political focus is directed toward the future and a cautious, consensus-based reform tempo, prioritizing the principle of "measure ten times and cut once." It raises the critical question regarding the lack of national investment in suicide prevention compared to other prevention programs.

The central topic is the implementation of education reforms, several of which are simultaneously underway (school network restructuring, vocational education, Estonian-language education). While the necessity of the reforms is supported, their introduction and management are subject to sharp criticism, citing the teachers' strike as an example, which undermined the state’s credibility. Emphasis is placed on the need for stable governance and well-thought-out reforms, focusing on both procedural and results-based approaches.

The presenter centers their discussion on Research and Development (R&D), recognizing its strong link to the economy and innovation. They then pose a nuanced question, highlighting the role that development in the social sciences and humanities plays within R&D policy. This suggests an intent to broaden the policy focus beyond strictly economic goals toward wider societal progress.

The political focus is currently on reforming the education funding system. The speaker strongly backs a legislative amendment that would tie the per-student funding directly to the school, rather than the school maintainer, specifically aiming to increase teacher salary levels. This stance is heavily policy- and results-driven, centered on ensuring better compensation for educators.