Tomusk says Estonian-language school transition began only in 2022

Language Board chief Ilmar Tomusk told ERR’s Vikerraadio programme “Friday Interview” that Estonia’s transition to Estonian-language education effectively began only in 2022, despite the first decision on the change being made in 1993.

Repeatedly postponed deadlines and laws that were not brought into line created gaps in several areas, Tomusk said. For example, the Language Act requires taxi drivers to have B1-level language proficiency, while the Public Transport Act, which provides the basis for issuing a service provider card, does not impose the same requirement.

He also pointed to what he called absurd situations in local governments. The law requires council meetings to be held in Estonian, but does not require council members to have the necessary language skills. Tomusk said sector-specific laws should be aligned with the Language Act.

Tomusk also highlighted changes in Estonia’s public language environment. While Russian and Finnish once had the strongest influence on the streetscape, signs in Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Arabic can now be seen alongside English. Local residents often cannot understand these signs, he said, adding that the state should require Estonian-language information in public spaces to prevent confusion.

Tomusk has led the former Language Inspectorate and the current Language Board for nearly 31 years, serving under 16 governments. He said he entered language policy after then Education Minister Peeter Kreitzberg invited him to take charge of the inspectorate and sought someone who was not connected to either Tallinn or Tartu language circles.

At the time, Tomusk was living and working in Kadrina. He had previously worked as an Estonian language and literature teacher, studied Finnish language, literature and culture in Finland, and completed a microdegree for Finnish language teachers at the University of Jyväskylä. He was then working in the private sector as deputy chairman of the board and assistant to the chief executive at Kadrina EPT, a joint-stock company.

Tomusk said he initially had no desire to commute to Tallinn, but Kreitzberg told him that his leadership was needed. He applied for the position, received the keys to an office and official car, and began work. He described his first years as difficult.

According to Tomusk, language policy disputes in the mid-1990s centred largely on money: how funds for the language sector should be spent, what they should be used for and who should receive them. Foreign embassies were also beginning to offer funding for integration-related activities in Estonia, which contributed to the disagreements.