Nearly 50 children received their certificates of citizenship at the Open Air Museum
The work of 27 Sunday Schools were financed via MISA in this school year
MISA presents the results of a study on the effect of language learning development programmes
In-service training programme for teachers of vocational educational institutions is coming to an end
Nearly 50 children received their certificates of citizenship at the Open Air Museum
A festive family information day was held on Sunday, 2 June, at the Estonian Open Air Museum, where Laine Randjärv, Vice-President of the Riigikogu, presented the certificates of citizenship of the Republic of Estonia to nearly fifty children.
The family information day, which has been organised several times in the past, has become a tradition with which the Estonian state remembers its new citizens.
“It is easy to apply for Estonian citizenship for a child below 15 years of age. A child is not required to take the tests on the knowledge of the Estonian language, the Constitution and the Citizenship Act. If all other established conditions are met, it suffices that one parent lodges an application for acquiring the citizenship,” commented Kristi Anniste, Coordinator of the MISA Civic Education and Migration Unit.
“We encourage parents to use this opportunity because later on the procedures are more complicated and time-consuming. Over the years, MISA has offered adults free preparative courses for taking the citizenship test that have to take the tests, and we would like to continue with this in the future,” said Anniste.
More detailed information about applying for citizenship using a simplified procedure can be found on the MISA webpage. Interested parties can get information about free citizenship courses by writing to kodanik.kursused@meis.ee.
The informing project and organisation of free citizenship courses are financed by the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals and via the Ministry of Culture through the state budget within the framework of the “Estonian Integration Strategy 2008–2013”.
For further information, please contact: Kristi Anniste, Coordinator of MISA Civic Education and Migration, tel 659 9062, e-mail kristi.anniste@meis.ee
The work of 27 Sunday Schools were financed via MISA in this school year
27 Sunday Schools of Societies of Ethnic Minorities received support from the Integration and Migration Foundation Our People (MISA) and the Ministry of Education and Research.
“During the school year, a total of 519 children studied and 72 teachers taught in those 27 Sunday Schools of Societies of Ethnic Minorities. 3–18 year old children and young people from Azerbaijan, Russian, Ukrainian, Uzbekistan, Ingrian-Finnish, Korean, Armenian, Lezgian, Kabardian, Georgian, Tatar and Belarusian origin got an opportunity to acquaint with the language and culture of their ancestors within the framework of supported activities, which is very important for the preservation of cultural traditions,” commented Kristina Pirgop, Coordinator of MISA Multicultural Education Unit.
“In most Sunday Schools the school year ends with an educational tour to various places in Estonia that help the pupils understand their own cultural background and connect with life in Estonia. In many cases, the tour goes to locations with several historical multi-cultural connection points that show the pupils how differences in cultures can enrich society,” said Pirgop.
For example, the pupils of Tallinn Russian Sunday School will visit Keila-Joa manor, where they can study the places that according to a popular belief inspired the creation of the anthem of the Russian tsar “God Save the Tsar!”.
“These trips help young people to be proud not only of their heritage but also the Estonian cultural environment. This is extremely important for the enrichment of Estonian society and improving the mutual understanding of people living here,” said Pirgop.
Viljandi Society of Friends of Russian Culture has planned to celebrate the successful school year with a trip for pupils and their parents to Haapsalu on 8 June. “The pupils of the Sunday School will go on a trip to Haapsalu with their parents, the aim of which is to introduce the pupils and their parents to Estonia and the traditions of Estonians and Russians. In Haapsalu, they will visit historic sights and the “Russian cottage” of the Russian Museum, but also Ilon Wikland Wonderland and Haapsalu Episcopal Castle,” said Sažida Jalak, Head of the Sunday School of Viljandi Society of Friends of Russian Culture.
The base funding of Sunday Schools of ethnic minorities is provided by the Ministry of Education and Research within the framework of the “Estonian Integration Strategy 2008–2013”.
For further information, please contact: Kristina Pirgop, Coordinator, MISA Multicultural Education Unit, tel 659 9024, kristina.pirgop@meis.ee
MISA presents the results of a study on the effect of language learning development programmes
Integration and Migration Foundation Our People (MISA) presents the results of the effect of language learning programmes financed from the European Social Fund. The presentation will take place in the National Library of Estonia on the 25th of June at 11.00 a.m.
A study on the effect of the European Social Fund financed programmes “Development of Language Learning 2007–2010” and “Development of Language Learning 2011–2013” contracted by MISA and conducted by Saar Poll OÜ will be completed in the beginning of June.
“The goals of the study were to summarise the activities performed over six years and provide an input for future initiatives that are important for the development of language learning. During the study, documents related to the programme were analysed, the target groups of the programmes were surveyed, and experts and service providers were interviewed,” explained Eduard Odinets, Head of the MISA Lifelong Learning Unit.
“The main goal of language learning development programmes is to ensure equal opportunities for obtaining education and coping in the labour market for all Estonian residents, regardless of their mother tongue, age or nationality. The target group of these programmes consists of people that do not know Estonian sufficiently, including pupils of vocational schools, students, teachers, public sector employees and many others. The study gives us an overview on how the activities implemented so far have helped people and what new approaches are necessary to be taken in future,” added Odinets.
The study is carried out from December 2012 to June 2013. If you wish to participate, please contact Maria Ratassepp (maria.ratassepp@meis.ee).
For further information, please contact: Maria Ratassepp, Coordinator, MISA Lifelong Education Unit, tel 659 9068, e-mail maria.ratassepp@meis.ee
In-service training programme for teachers of vocational educational institutions is coming to an end
In June, 30 teachers of vocational schools that were given the opportunity to improve their knowledge in a school with other language of instruction will complete their in-service training programme at vocational educational institutions.
During in-service training, the teachers can develop their professional and linguistic skills, communicate with colleagues, and participate in cultural events. The in-service training programme is organised with the assistance of the European Social Fund by the Integration and Migration Foundation Our People (MISA) in cooperation with vocational educational institutions in Estonia.
“In-service training as one type of continuing education is organised for the teachers of vocational educational institutions with Russian as the language of instruction in Estonian-language vocational educational institutions and the teachers of vocational educational institutions with Estonian as the language of instruction in Russian-language vocational educational institutions. The teachers upgrade their skills in a school with the other language of instruction over 12 days. In addition, support persons assist the teachers before, during and after their in-service training in sending as well as hosting educational institutions,” described the in-service programme Eduard Odinets, MISA Lifelong Education Unit.
In June, the last teacher will complete this stage of in-service training and so 30 teachers will have taken part in the in-service training since January 2013. The teachers whose mother tongue is Russian and who teach in Russian schools used the opportunity for in-service training most, but there were also teachers whose mother tongue is Estonian that participated in the programme to take an opportunity to be in a Russian language environment. The final event of the in-service training programme will be held on 19 June at Tallinn Flower Pavilion.
“Being in an Estonian language school and in an Estonian language environment was extremely important for me,” said Natalja Tarassova, the teacher of cooking at Sillamäe Vocational School, who took part in the in-service training in Tallinn. “I had the opportunity to practice Estonian and learn new professional skills; I experienced Estonian culture and met Estonian people. The people in the hosting school were warm and knowledgeable.”
An opportunity to partake in in-service training is still open for teachers who have not yet informed about their wish and both schools and teachers can inform MISA of their interest. “It is important to stress that the Estonian teachers are not required to know Russian, because they enter into another language environment with the aim of participating in the study work of the school as the carriers of Estonian language; therefore, teachers whose mother tongue is Estonian are very welcome in the programme,” noted Odinets.
Teachers and schools interested in the in-service training can inform Maria Ratasepp, Coordinator of MISA Lifelong Education Unit, of their wish to be a sending or hosting school via e-mail address maria.ratassepp@meis.ee or telephone 659 9068.
The in-service training of teachers of vocational educational institutions is organised within the framework of the “Development of Language Learning 2011–2013” programme financed by the European Social Fund.
For further information, please contact: Maria Ratassepp, Coordinator of MISA Lifelong Education Unit, tel 659 9068, e-mail maria.ratassepp@meis.ee
