Education in Latvia
A brief history of education
Latvia is not richly endowed with natural resources, so its future is dependent in very large measure on intellect, which may be regarded as the nation's greatest resource. Latvia's aim could be a society based on knowledge and intellect, preserving the country's historical traditions and rapidly assimilating innovations and intellectual breakthroughs in the world. An important element in the general level of knowledge in the country is the standard of education and science institutions. In this regard, Latvia has an established tradition, which has emerged in the course of the country's complicated history.
In the early 13th century, Christian missionaries of German background established the first teaching institutions in the territory of Latvia. In 1211, the Dome School was founded in Riga, regarded as the first school in the territory of Latvia and originally engaged in training the clergy. In the Middle Ages, as elsewhere in Europe, literate people belonged mainly to the clergy and the top aristocracy. From the 13th to the 16th century, German was almost exclusively the language of education in the territory of Latvia.
Schools providing Latvian-language education began to develop only in the wake of the Reformation, in the mid- to late 16th century. The task of these schools was to spread literacy among the Latvians, in order to promote knowledge of religious literature. The first textbooks in Latvian were ABC's, the oldest of which were compiled in the 17th century. Humanism developed rapidly in the 18th century, opening up greater opportunities for education in Latvian in all regions of the territory of Latvia. The main subjects were reading and writing. Basic knowledge was also provided in natural science and geography; arithmetic was also taught. Education saw rapid development in the 19th century and particularly in the years of the Latvian National Awakening in the second half of the century, when a stratum of Latvian intellectuals emerged and established itself.
From November 18, 1918, with the foundation of an independent Latvian state, the titular nation gained the guaranteed right to obtain all forms of education in Latvian. From the end of 1919 free and compulsory primary education was established by law for children aged 8 to 14, with pre-school education from age seven. In parallel, the state also promoted the establishment of schools for ethnic minorities, with teaching in the native language of the particular group. All types of schools were maintained by municipal or state authorities, and there were private teaching institutions as well. In 1919, the idea of founding a national university, formulated already in the late 19th century, became a reality. On September 28, 1919 the University of Latvia began teaching: the largest centre of higher education, science and culture in Latvia. Overall, in the inter-war period (1918–1940) a modern, unified system of education developed in Latvia, consisting of primary education, secondary education, special secondary education, vocational education and higher education. In general terms, this structure of education is still retained today.
Financing of education in Latvia
Primary and secondary education in Latvia is free of charge and is financed from the municipal budget. At primary and secondary schools, the state pays teachers' wages, while the local authority finances the maintenance of the school itself and covers other expenses connected with teaching. Vocational schools in Latvia usually belong to the state or the local authority, which accordingly finances both teaching and maintenance of the school. The Latvian state finances all the higher education institutions belonging to the state. The Higher Education Council allocates a certain number of state-financed study places in each field of studies. Those students who pass their entrance examinations at state higher education institutions, but whose marks are not sufficiently high to grant them state-supported education, can take up studies as fee-paying students. Similarly, fees are charged at all private higher education institutions.
Nine-year basic education
Basic education in Latvia is compulsory. Children attend school from the year in which they turn seven. Basic education lasts nine years, consisting of four years at elementary school and five years at primary school. During the nine years of basic education, children are taught Latvian language, mathematics, music, drawing and physical education. From the first year, basic knowledge of nature and training in practical skills is also given. English is taught from third grade, and after three years teaching of a second foreign language begins. History, basic economics and health are taught from grade 5, while biology and geography lessons begin in grade 6, ethics in grade 7, physics and chemistry in grade 8 and economics and social studies from grade 9. A certificate is issued on completion of the basic education curriculum.
After finishing their basic education, most young people continue their education at secondary school, while about a third attend a vocational school.
General secondary education
Including basic education, secondary education lasts for 12 years (i.e. 9 years of basic education + 3 years of secondary education). Schools offer four standard educational programmes:
- comprehensive education, without intensive teaching of any particular subject;
- the humanities and social sciences programme, placing emphasis on these fields;
- the mathematics, natural science and technical science programme, with the emphasis on mathematics and natural and/or technical science subjects;
- the vocational programme, where the general education curriculum emphasises vocational subjects in particular.
Seven subjects are compulsory in all of these programmes: Latvian language and literature, mathematics, history, one foreign language, physical education, basic information science and basic economics. Each of the four different programmes includes additional compulsory subjects, to be taught within the frame of the chosen programme. About a quarter of the whole curriculum is completely open to free choice.
In order to receive a general secondary education certificate, the pupil must pass the courses making up the chosen programme and pass five final examinations, two of which are obligatory throughout the country, with another three chosen by the pupil. In order to ensure equal requirements and evaluation for all secondary school-leavers, from the last years of the 20th century centralised final examinations have been introduced in Latvia. On successful completion of the secondary school curriculum, the pupil receives a general secondary education certificate.
In Latvia, most secondary school leavers go on to attend a higher education institution. Only about a quarter end their education at this stage.
Vocational education
Basic vocational education
Basic vocational education is intended to provide training in simple trades for pupils who have not finished compulsory nine-year basic education by the age of 15. By successfully completing this educational programme, the pupil obtains a basic education certificate and may go on to secondary education. The aim of this form of education is to prevent marginalisation of a particular group of pupils.
Secondary vocational education
Latvia offers two sorts of vocational education at secondary level:
- Vocational programmes, lasting two or three years and providing theoretical and practical knowledge required for becoming a skilled worker. On completing such a vocational education programme, the pupil has not, however, obtained a full secondary education. For this, further schooling is required.
- Secondary vocational programmes, lasting at least four years. These provide much wider theoretical knowledge and practical skills in the particular profession. The pupil is prepared not only to implement the tasks of skilled workers, but also to plan and organise work. This is a full secondary education programme, so the school-leaver is entitled to enter a higher education institution.
Higher education
The right to enter a higher education institution is held by all those who have completed the general secondary education programme and graduates from the four-year vocational programme and from all the specialised secondary education programmes. If a certificate of secondary education has been obtained abroad, it must first be submitted for analysis to the Academic Information Centre, where it is evaluated, passing a conclusion on the validity of the foreign certificate in Latvia.
In Latvia, there is both state-financed and fee-paying higher education. In order to single out the most able students, whose studies are publicly financed, higher education institutions carry out a procedure of student selection. This usually depends on the number of candidates for study places at the particular institution (both state-financed and fee-paying). In certain cases, such as art, music or sports studies, the procedure must also guarantee that the students possess particular abilities or skills that are not directly reflected in the general secondary education documents. The selection procedure usually involves one or more entry examinations or assessment of secondary school certificates, which may attribute particular significance to grades obtained in particular subjects. In certain cases, an interview with members of the admissions committee is also part of the selection procedure. Entry examinations are only a means of selecting entrants from among candidates who all hold a secondary education certificate entitling them to enter higher education. For this reason, the selection procedure need not always include an entry examination.
In 2004, there were 34 accredited higher education institutions in Latvia, most of which belong to the state, the rest having been founded by other legal entities or private individuals. A positive tendency is the rapid rise in student numbers seen in recent years. The number of registered students at the beginning of the 2001/2002 teaching year was over 110 thousand, most of whom (almost 90 thousand) attended public institutions. About a third of these study at state expense, while the rest pay fees. Under discussion is the regulation of tuition fees.
Latvia has two sorts of higher education programmes – academic and professional (for example translators, bank staff, business lawyers, pilots etc.). University-type higher education institutions offer both academic and professional education, while the "non-university type" institutions provide only professional education. Such a division in higher education allows the student to choose either research or professional activity in the future.
Academic higher education programmes include bachelor's and master's degree programmes. A bachelor's degree is awarded after three or four years of study, while a master's degree is obtained on successful completion of a second phase of academic higher education, lasting one or two years. Bachelor's or master's degrees are not awarded in medicine or dentistry, but a degree in medicine or dentistry is equated to a master's degree.
At the end of each academic study programme, the student usually has to defend a research paper (a bachelor's paper or master's thesis).
Doctoral studies
Only graduates holding a master's degree or equivalent higher education diploma may take up doctoral studies. These last three to four years, involving advanced studies, examinations and the preparation and defence of a doctoral thesis. Before defending the doctoral dissertation, the student must publish articles on the chosen subject in internationally reviewed publications.
Up to the end of 1999, habilitated doctor's degrees were also awarded, at a higher level than the doctoral degree. Such a degree was required by candidates to professorships, but now the doctoral degree is the highest scientific degree in Latvia.
The procedure for award of doctoral degrees is determined by the Latvian Science Council, which also appoints the Promotion Boards that are entitled to award doctoral degrees.
The system of grades
A ten-point system of grades, where the lowest pass mark is four, is used to evaluate pupils and students at all of Latvia's secondary schools and most of the higher education institutions as well.
| Grade |
Interpretation |
| 10 |
Outstanding |
| 9 |
Excellent |
| 8 |
Very good |
| 7 |
Good |
| 6 |
Almost good |
| 5 |
Average |
| 4 |
Almost average |
| 3–1 |
Unsatisfactory |
 |
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Higher education institutions in Latvia
Most of Latvia's universities offer higher education in several major fields, and all provide doctoral studies as well. At present, the following universities in Latvia offer study courses:
Most of the other higher education institutions, without university status, specialise in one or more fields. The following are entitled to award a doctoral degree in at least one branch:
- Latvian Academy of Music;
- Latvian Academy of Art;
- Latvian Academy of Culture;
- Liepaja Pedagogical Academy;
- Latvian Academy of Sport Education;
- Latvian Police Academy.
Academic degrees and/or professional higher education qualifications are awarded at the other state and private higher education institutions.
Further information on education in Latvia:
© Text: The Latvian Institute
© The Latvian Institute, 2004
This fact sheet can be freely printed from homepage of the Latvian Institute, distributed and cited, on condition that the Latvian Institute is acknowledged as the source. The Latvian Institute promotes knowledge about Latvia abroad. It produces publications, in several languages, on many aspects of Latvia.
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