Changes in the educational content and students’ exam performance

The results of the state centralised examinations for 2009 indicate that the performance in educational institutions implementing an education programme with Latvian as the medium of instruction were similar to that in schools implementing national minority education programmes. School year 2009/10 was the fourth one in which students took examinations according to the 60/40 model. The results of national minority students in such difficult subjects as Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics are even better than those of schools where the medium of instruction is Latvian. Moreover, the number of students (72%) who have chosen Latvian as the language for examination answers has significantly increased in 2010 (comparing to 2008 and 2009, when 60% of students opted for Latvian at exams).

As a result of the education reform, the level of the Latvian language proficiency among young non-Latvians has considerably increased. If in 1996, 49% of young people from national minorities rated their knowledge as good, and now already 73% regard their knowledge as good.

The results of centralised examinations clearly suggest that the changes introduced to the national minority education programme with regard to the medium of instruction and the state examinations have not significantly influenced the learning achievements of students.

Comparison of performance levels at Latvian and Literature (medium of instruction – Latvian) exam for grade12 from 2005 to 2010 (Information available at the National Centre for Education Contents, www.visc.gov.lv)

Level Year	F	E	D	C	B	A
2010	2.44%	14.87%	23.26%	27.82%	27.72%	3.87%
2009	4.03%	16.67%	27.43%	26.23%	20.96%	4.61%
2008	1.19%	16.94%	30.46%	29.39%	19.06%	2.95%
2007	2.92%	19.55%	28.22%	28.32%	17.46%	3.53%
2006	2.31%	17.73%	26.37%	29.51%	20.32%	3.75%
2005	4.66%	27.93%	31.80%	19.97%	14.10%	1.54%

In 2008, issues regarding the multicultural aspect, tolerance, respect for diversity, civic education and the education of values have been included in the general secondary education standard and subject programmes.

In 2009, unified requirements have been developed for the evaluation and approval of teaching aids. Intercultural aspects, tolerance, respect for diversity, civic education and the education of values are compulsory elements of the educational content.

As from 25 May 2009, the National Centre of Educational Content is in charge of carrying out assessment of the quality of educational institutions through independent evaluation. Since August 2006, the centre has been implementing the teachers' professional development programme for 2006-2008, targeted at the enhancement of teachers' professional skills.

The studies done by the Education Quality State Agency and other institutions and organizations (National Centre of Educational Content, Latvian Language Agency, Baltic Institute of Social Sciences etc.) demonstrate that the education reform has been successful, and the attitude of the general public towards the reform is positive.