Transition to all-Latvian education to build sense of belonging - PM

  • 2018-02-12
  • LETA/TBT Staff

RIGA - Gradual transition to Latvian as the sole language of instruction in schools will help build a sense of belonging with Latvia and boost competitiveness of young people from ethnic minorities, Latvian Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis (Greens/Farmers) told the press.

"This step has to be made," he said.

"This is not about discrimination. The state language policy must be strengthened because the language is the uniting element," the Latvian prime minister said.

As reported, the Latvian parliament today decided to send the draft legislative amendments about starting gradual transition to Latvian as the sole language of instruction in schools on September 1, 2019, to the committees for revision. The reform is to be implemented gradually from September 1, 2019, until spring 2022.

Already in preschools, starting from the age of five, new education guidelines will be introduced in 2019/2020 school year, providing for a bigger role of the Latvian language in the study process.

A new bilingual education model will be introduced in grades 1-6, ensuring that at least 50 percent of the subjects are taught in Latvian, and in grades 7-9, ensuring that at least 80 percent of the study contents is in Latvian in 2019/2020. The final exams for the 9th grade pupils will be held entirely in Latvia.

Starting from 2020/2021 school year all general education subjects in grades 10 and 11 will be taught only in the Latvian language, while children of ethnic minorities will continue learning their native language, literature and subjects related to culture and history in the respective minority language.

Starting from 2021/2022 school year all general education subjects in high school (grades 10-12) will be taught only in the Latvian language, while children of ethnic minorities will continue learning their native language, literature and subjects related to culture and history in the respective minority language.