Latvian parliament has for the third time voted for the educational reorganization implying the shift of all Russian schools into the Latvian language, DELFI informs. The draft was supported by about 60 parliament members and about 20 deputies voted against it.
Ministry of Education and Science of Latvia is going to shift the school curriculum into the Latvian language starting 2020\21. Russian-speaking population of Latvia, especially parents of schoolchildren have sharply criticized the law stating that it would lead to the social split and decrease of the overall educational level in the country.
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Education in the native language remains in the kindergartens only. However, now they say that it is necessary to speak Latvian with the Russian children there as well.
A half of the initial school subjects from the 1st until 6th grades will be taught in the state language, whereas from the 7th until 9th grades – already 80% and finally schoolchildren of the 9th – 12th grades will study in the Latvian language only. Teachers will speak with children in Russian at lessons of the native language and literature only.
Politicians assure that the shift will be gradual and will start from the next academic year. Latvian Ministry of Education and Science has promised to allocate additional financial resources for re-training the pedagogical staff.
Russkiy Mir
