On Tuesday, 7 June, Latvia’s government supported the plan for a gradual transition to education only state language at general education institutions and kindergartens to promote successful introduction of quality education content and singular approach in all education institutions across Latvia.
According to the Ministry of Education and Science Ministry, the current education language approach in national minority education programmes has not ensured quality teaching of the state language across all education stages. With that, to provide them the opportunity to engage in social life and the ability to continue their academic lives, national minority students should learn the state language.
Rules included in the legislative draft in regards to implementation of education programmes in kindergartens in municipal and private establishments state that from 1 September 2023 onward, all kindergartens are to transition to education only in state language.
The ministry explains that pre-school education institutions implement general education programmes and special programmes to promote multi-sided development of children, as well as ensure their preparation for the start of their academic life. In parallel to that there will be no national minority kindergarten education programmes implemented from 1 September 2023 onward.
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National minority students and children in general will be provided with the option to learn national minority language and culture as part of hobby groups financed by the state and municipalities.
It is planned that from there on education in primary education level will be done in state language across the entire level. Starting with 1 September 2023, secondary education programmes will be done in Latvian language in their entirety in 1st, 4th and 7th grades, from 1 September 2024 – in 2nd, 5th and 8th grades, and from 2025 – in 3rd, 6th and 9th grades.
The legislative draft mentions that in primary education levels national minority students will be able to learn their native language, culture and history as part of hobby group education programmes.
These programmes will be financed by the state through grants paid to municipalities and by municipalities on their own.
Additional solutions will include the necessary support mechanisms, such as provision of education materials, language courses for teachers and other support to teachers working in linguistically heterogeneous environments.
As for vocational education institutions, the range of teaching languages will be narrowed to languages of other European Union member states.
Additionally, the legislative draft also details the need for amendments to the Education Law, setting restrictions for persons whose state language level does not exceed first degree C level to take posts as head of an education institution or teacher.
Previously the majority of the government coalition parties supported the transition to education only in state language in the country from 2023/2024 school year onward.