entered into force 10 October 1993,

amended by the following Acts:

14.06.2000 entered into force 16.07.2000 - RT I 2000, 54, 349

04.04.2000 entered into force 04.05.2000 - RT I 2000, 33, 195

12.10.1999 entered into force 01.09.2000 - RT I 1999, 79, 730.

§ 3.

(8) Religious education shall be non-confessional and attending thereof shall be voluntary for students, and teaching of religious studies shall be compulsory for a school if at least fifteen students in a stage of study wish to attend thereof.

§ 9.

(1) In basic schools, specific stages of basic schools and specific classes of basic schools, any language may be the language of instruction – in municipal schools, on the basis of a decision of the local government council, and in state schools, on the basis of a decision of the Minister of Education. The board of trustees of a school shall make a corresponding proposal to the local government council or the Minister of Education.

(04.04.00 entered into force 04.05.00 - RT I 2000, 33, 195)

(11) In the upper secondary school stage, the language of instruction shall be Estonian.

(04.04.00 entered into force 04.05.00 - RT I 2000, 33, 195)

(12) The language of instruction is the language in which at least 60 per cent of the teaching on the curriculum is given.

(04.04.00 entered into force 04.05.00 - RT I 2000, 33, 195)

(2) In a school or class where instruction is not given in Estonian, Estonian language instruction is compulsory beginning from the first year.

(12.10.99. (12.10.99 entered into force 01.09.2000 - RT I 1999, 79, 730)

§ 12.

(3) Schools have statutes which shall include the following information:

1) the full name, location and type;

2) the purpose of the activities and functions of the school;

3) the language of instruction;

4) the bases for organisation of studies;

5) the rights and obligations of students;

6) the rights and obligations of the employees (staff) of the school;

7) the bases for financing, management and administration;

8) the bases of and procedure for reorganisation and closure.

§ 18.

Parents may freely choose a school for a child subject to the obligation to attend school if there are vacant places in the school they wish the child to attend.

(23.11.94 entered into force 30.12.94 - RT I 1994, 91, 1528)

§ 19.

(1) A school is required to ensure study opportunity for each child subject to the obligation to attend school who resides in the catchment area of the school.

(2) The local government council shall approve the catchment area of a school. The catchment area of a school which provides services for several local governments shall be approved jointly by the corresponding councils of rural municipality and city councils.

(23.11.94 entered into force 30.12.94 – RT I 1994, 91, 1528; 10.02.99 entered into force 21.03.99 – RT I 1999, 24, 358)

§ 52.

(1) By the year 2007, the curricula and organisation of study of non-Estonian language basic schools shall ensure all graduates of basic schools a level of Estonian language skills which enables them to continue studies in Estonian.

(2) Transition to instruction in Estonian shall be started in state and municipal upper secondary schools not later than in the academic year 2007/2008.

(10.09.97 entered into force 04.10.97 – RT I 1997, 69, 1111; 04.04.00 entered into force 04.05.00 – RT I 2000, 33, 195)

(3) In order to preserve their national identity, students whose mother tongue is not Estonian and who attend schools where Estonian is the language of instruction shall be afforded the opportunity to learn their mother tongue and to learn about their national culture, taking into account regional peculiarities and the curriculum of the school. The Government of the Republic shall establish the corresponding procedure not later than by 1 January 2002.

(04.04.00 entered into force 04.05.00 - RT I 2000, 33, 195)

* RT = Riigi Teataja = State Gazette

Source: Estonian Legal Translation Centre
http://www.legaltext.ee/indexen.htm