Estonia's jobless to get free official language courses

TALLINN (BNS) - The Estonian Labor Market Department and regional labor market offices have, with the help of the European Union's PHARE language studies program, started organizing official language courses for the needy.

The goal of the project is to improve Russian-speakers' competitiveness on the labor market, a spokesperson for the Social Affairs Ministry said.

The project will give about 2,000 jobseekers and unemployed the opportunity to learn the Estonian language free of charge.

The three-month course is estimated to cost 2,700 kroons ($168) per person, thus PHARE will be financing non-Estonian jobseekers' language studies to the tune of 5.4 million kroons, Kalju Kilk from the Labor Market Department said.

"Currently future students are being registered as well as teaching partners sought," Kilk said, adding that the first group is to begin studies during this month.

People registered as jobless with regional labor market offices can choose between beginners, medium-level and advanced courses.

After completing the course they will be able to take the state proficiency exam if they wish.

Kilk said 392 unemployed have registered for the free language course in the mostly Russian-populated Ida-Virumaa region, for example.

"According to current data, the lion's part of them want to take part in courses for beginners," he added.

"Somewhat surprisingly, the number of people wishing to learn is the biggest in the Harjumaa region - in Maardu, Paldiski, Kehra, and Loksa," Kilk said.