Consultations with representatives of national minorities

The education programme for national minority secondary schools was conceptually approved by the National Minority Education Advisory Council, the body established in 2001 to maintain contact between the Ministry of Education, students and teachers of national minority schools, parents and NGOs. The modalities of the programme were discussed with all heads of national minority schools during 2002. The dialogue is being continued after the implementation of the reform, involving new partners in the Advisory Council. The Council includes around 30 members – representatives from national cultural associations, the administration of minority education institutions, ministries and their subordinate institutions, teachers' associations, education boards, and other national and local institutions and non-governmental institutions dealing with minority education issues.

Since the school year 2007/2008, the National Minority Education Advisory Council of the Ministry of Education has been organising broad discussions on any changes in the contents of the general secondary education, teaching aids, students' performance in state exams, the Latvian language learning opportunities, as well as multicultural issues in the educational content. The Council also debates the issues of preserving the ethnic identity of minorities.

Through the mediation of the National Minority Education Advisory Council, the minorities can also express their opinion on education process to the President of Latvia.