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Estonia's R&D expenditure to rise to 1% of GDP in 2021

BC, Tallinn, 30.09.2020.Print version
The Estonian government will raise spending on research and development to a level equaling 1% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2021, reports LETA/BNS.

Finance Minister Martin Helme said at a government press conference on Tuesday that the amount earmarked for research and development next year will grow by 56 million euros to 282 million euros.


Funding for research and development under this year's state budget equals 0.75% of GDP.


The Ministry of Education and Research stands to get 22.4 million euros of the additional amount of 56 million euros, meaning 40%.  


The additional money is to be spent for supporting young scientists, ensuring a continuous growth in basic financing and research grants to support the sustainability of universities and research institutions and ease tight competition in the application for grants. Simultaneously, support will be increased for research connected with the Estonian language, culture and education to ensure research and development activity that is necessary for the development of the Estonian cultural space, language and culture. 


Operating support for institutions of higher education will be increased by 5% to contribute to ensuring the availability of a new generation of researchers. 


In total eight million euros has been earmarked for supporting pupils whose first language is not  Estonian in obtaining fluency in the Estonian language, including 2.3 million euros for preschool children's institutions for teaching Estonian to children from non-Estonian families. 


A program aimed to provide a professional teacher of Estonian language to kindergarten groups with Russian as the language of learning aims to bring additionally 153 teachers of the Estonian language to work in Russian-language kindergartens. In the current academic year, the program will expand to 50 more kindergarten groups where the language of learning is Russian.


The program that reached junior grades of basic schools this year will continue also in the new year. 


Also the digital turnaround will continue next year. In addition to upgrades to the IT infrastructure of educational establishment and the acquisition of smart devices, attention will be paid to the development of e-learning tools, developing the digital competences of school teachers and university teachers, and provision of education technology support.


The acquisition, development and implementation of contemporary and innovative learning tools in general and vocational education stands to get six million euros, and the development and support of IT related activities and IT infrastructure 5.4 million euros.


A total of 4.7 million euros has been earmarked for moving on with the IT Academy program to develop IT curricula, facilitate the preparation of new IT teachers and support the sustainable development of said field as well as the success of the Estonian e-state. 


The sum total earmarked for teacher pay in 2021 is 388 million euros, which enables to keep the estimated average wage of teachers at 1,540 euros a month, equal to 108% of the national average pay.


In addition, the state will continue providing 15 million euros to municipalities to keep the pay of kindergarten teachers at a level equaling 90% and the pay of kindergarten teachers with a  master's degree at a level equaling 100% of the minimum pay level for teachers in general education.



A total of 2.9 million euros has been earmarked for the payment of a one-off starting-up grant to teachers and support specialists taking up employment in their profession for the first time. The size of the grant is 12,783 euros per person, and starting from this year the entire amount is paid out at once to give young specialists a better starting position. 


An amount of 4.7 million euros has been earmarked for expanding workplace based learning. In collaboration with the Estonian Employers' Confederation, some 7,200 learners and 350 businesses are to be involved in the program by the end of 2021.


In addition, 3.4 million euros has been earmarked for refresher training and retraining of adults at vocational schools and universities. The ministry estimates that 11,000 more adults will start participating in retraining in 2021. 


The Estonian government at its sitting on Tuesday approved the state budget for 2021 with expenditures amounting to approximately 13 billion euros and revenues at over 11 billion euros.

The budget bill is to be submitted to the Riigikogu on Wednesday. 







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