Background information

Due to the Russian war against Ukraine, thousand of Ukrainian children have arrived to Estonia. Most families are located in the capital, where there is a heavy burden on providing educational opportunities for children. To relieve the burden and ensure access to education, the Ministry of Education and Research opened a new school in Tallinn for the war refugees.

Content of measure

The Freedom School was created as a separate study site at the Tallinn Tõnismäe State Gymnasium in the capital of Estonia. Altogether 800 children in grades 7-12 (aged 13-19) can study in the school. 300 places meant for grades 7-9 should cover an half of the actual need of study places of these grades in Tallinn. The school will follow the Estonian national study curriculum and at least 60% of the lessons at the school will be taught in Estonian. It is expected the school will support the integration of Ukrainian children into Estonian society while still ensuring they will keep their national identity. Applications were accepted as of 1 June 2022 and the school launched on 1 September 2022.

Use of measure

As of spring 2023, altogether 570 students study in grades 7-11. The school employs 90 people, including 30 teachers and support specialists with a Ukrainian background.

As of 1 September 2022, altogether 560 children, of whom 320 in lower secondary education (grades 7-9) and 240 in upper secondary education (grades 10-12), started their studies in the school. Each class has a total of 20 to 22 students.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Does not apply to businesses	Migrants or refugees Students

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Local / regional government	National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Unknown	Unknown
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Unknown
• Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

There is no information available.

Views and reactions

The regional branch in Viljandi of the Estonian Educational Personnel Union has proposed to use similar approach in other regions in Estonia as well. They stated that it is difficult for all parties to teach Ukrainian children if they are scattered across different schools and classes while the teachers have low or no preparation. They suggested that in other regions, there could also be specific schools opened for Ukrainian children.

Sectors and occupations

This case is not occupation-specific.

Sources

• 25 May 2022: Riik loob Ukraina sõjapõgenikele Vabaduse Kooli ja avab haridusalase nõustamisteenuse (The state is creating a School of Freedom for Ukrainian war refugees and opening an educational counselling service) (www.hm.ee)
• 01 June 2022: Tänasest algab avalduste vastuvõtt Ukraina sõjapõgenikele mõeldud Vabaduse Kooli (As of today, the reception of applications to the School of Freedom for Ukrainian war refugees begins) (www.hm.ee)
• 01 September 2022: 560 Ukraina noort alustavad õpinguid Vabaduse Koolis (560 Young Ukrainians start their studies at the School of Freedom) (www.hm.ee)
• 07 September 2022: Haridustöötajad suunaks ukraina noored sulgemisohus maakoolidesse (Educators would direct ukrainian youth to rural schools at risk of closure) (www.err.ee)
• 05 May 2023: Vabaduse kool (torg.ee)