Policy  /  Society Integration  /  Minority Education in Latvia

Implementation of national minority education

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The phasing in of the education reform took place gradually, starting from 1995, and was fully completed in 2007. Only starting from the school year 2007/08, national minority education programmes had been fully introduced from grade 1 to grade 12.


PRIMARY SCHOOLS

Starting from the school year 1995/96, two subjects had to be learned in Latvian. In 1999, four programme models of national minority education were elaborated; the models determined the proportion of subjects taught in Latvian, bilingually and/or in a national minority language. Each school could choose one or several models or to elaborate their own education programme; choosing and implementation of it was carried out gradually – until 2002.

In this manner, in primary schools, i.e. at the level of compulsory education, transition to minority education programme begun in 1995 and was completed by June 2002; thereby, all schools which had opted for national minority education programmes, had introduced those from grade 1 to grade 9.


SECONDARY SCHOOLS

For secondary schools – which is not a compulsory stage in education – transition to national minority education programmes was phased in as from September 1995 and was completed by June 2007.

As from the school year 1995/96, three subjects were to be taught in the Latvian language in secondary schools. As from the school year 2004/2005, in grades 10–12 of state and municipal national minority education institutions the language ratio was as follows: 60% in Latvian and 40% in the language of a national minority. This was a gradual transition: in the school year 2004/2005, the abovementioned proportion was applied to grade 10, in 2005/2006 – to grades 10 and 11, but in 2006/2007 – to grades 10, 11, and 12. Subjects could, and still can be taught in Latvian, in the national minority language, or bilingually, i.e. in two languages.

As from 2007, national minority education institutions receive grade 12 state exam materials in Latvian, but the students themselves can choose the language of examination – Latvian or Russian.