Latvia shares its experience in the field of bilingual education with other countries

The Latvian Language Agency and the Center for Civil Integration and Inter-Ethnic Relations (CCIIR) has a successful cooperation in the field of bilingual education and strengthening the official language in the educational system.

As from 2000, in the framework of the OSCE close cooperation has established with education specialists from Georgia. A joint working group of experts has elaborated programmes and materials for the training of bilingual education teachers. Since 2007, the representatives of the LLA have worked as the OSCE experts in Moldova, Kazakhstan, etc.

In 2011 the cooperation was continued with the representative of the OSCE Atanasia Stoianova who is willing to use Latvia’s experience in bilingual education and cross-culture issues by creating a regional resource centre on multilingual and multicultural education for Central Asia countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. At present, consultations on bilingual education contents and methodology matters are carried out. From 7 to 11 June 2010, a research trip, Support for National Minority Education in Latvia, was organised with participation of representatives from Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, Germany, Macedonia, Spain and Wales. The visitors were introduced to the support programme for ensuring national minority education and the procedure of policy drafting. They also visited the public administration institutions, local authorities and national minority education institutions.