Whether Latvian children abroad will learn Latvian language and culture depends on their parents - Sadurskis

RIGA - Whether Latvian children who live abroad will learn the Latvian language and culture, whether they will consider learning on Saturdays a nuisance or opportunity, depends on their parents, Education and Science Minister Karlis Sadurskis (Unity) said while addressing participants in the Diaspora Educators' Forum today.

Latvia needs to have more Latvians, and it is important to ensure that there are no language and cultural barriers for children in Latvian families that return to Latvia, stressed Sadurskis.

He thanked all diaspora schools' teachers who work in over 100 schools in 26 countries. Funding for diaspora education had increased twofold this year, to over EUR 700,000, said Sadurskis. He also underlined the importance of the ongoing education reforms in Latvia.

The Education and Science Ministry's deputy state secretary Gunta Araja said that, for the first time, the Diaspora Law, passed by Saeima in the first reading, covered all four main priorities of cooperation with Latvian communities abroad - support for learning Latvian, development of new textbooks, courses on methodology, and interactive teaching aids.