Pupils in Latvia will be able to refuse studying Russian as second foreign language, according to amendments to the Education Law passed by the Saeima in the second reading on Tuesday, the 9th of April.
If a pupil refuses to study Russian language by the 21st of June, he or she will be able to start studying a different foreign language starting with the next school year.
The Saeima press-service reports that 4th-8th grade pupils that refuse to study Russian language in this school year will be allowed to progress into the next grade without a score for second foreign language. Those that will be graduating 9th grade this year, however, will have their score composed from the average score in this subject from previous years.
Parents of children will be able to submit a written request for their child to not study Russian language,
and the head of the education institution will have to inform the founder of the education institution of this. The latter will then have to ensure pupils have an option to learn a different foreign language.
The purpose of the legislative draft is implementing a transition to any European language as second foreign language in schools, authors of the draft say. After the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the public attitude towards Russia as a whole changed, including the desire to learn the Russian language, as by the submissions of parents to the Ministry of Education and Science and schools calling for schools to provide one of the languages of the European Union as a second foreign language.
Until now Russian language was he most common second foreign language taught in schools, followed by English language, the annotation mentions.
To ensure the option to teach some EU language, schools will be able to sign contracts with another school to teach the language.
Pupils who will have started studying Russian language in the 2025/2026 school year, will be able to continue studying it until the end of 9th grade, but not longer than until the end of 2029/2030.
The amendments also provide for, among other things, the strengthening of the fact that national defence training is included in secondary education programmes.
For amendments to come into force, they have to be passed in the third reading by the Saeima.
Also read: Teacher’s Day in Latvia to be celebrated on the 5th of October from now on
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