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. 

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.

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, visual art, sports, social sciences and domestic science. From the first till sixth year the natural sciences are also given. Pupils can choose ethics or christian education from first to third grade. First foreign language is taught from the third grade, and after three years of teaching the second foreign language begins. Literature starts at grade 4; informatics is tought from grade 5 till 7. History is tought from the sixth grade, while biology and geography lessons begin in grade 7, physics and chemistry in grade 8. 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 attends a vocational school.

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 programs:

- comprehensive education, without intensive teaching of any particular subject;

- the humanities and social sciences program, placing emphasis on these fields;

- the mathematics, natural science and technical science program, with the emphasis on mathematics and natural and/or technical science subjects;

- the vocational program, where the general education curriculum emphasizes vocational subjects in particular.
 

Seven subjects are compulsory in all of these programs: Latvian language and literature, mathematics, history, one foreign language, sports, basic information science and basic economics. Each of the four different programs includes additional compulsory subjects, to be taught within the frame of the chosen program. 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 program 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 centralized 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. 

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 program, the pupil obtains a basic education certificate and may go on to secondary education. The aim of this form of education is to prevent marginalization of a particular group of pupils.

 

Latvia offers two sorts of vocational education at secondary level:

Vocational programs, lasting two or three years and providing theoretical and practical knowledge required for becoming a skilled worker. On completing such a vocational education program, the pupil has not, however, obtained a full secondary education. For this, further schooling is required. 
 

Secondary vocational programs, 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 organize work. This is a full secondary education program, so the school-leaver is entitled to enter a higher education institution. 

The right to enter a higher education institution is held by all those who have completed the general secondary education program and graduates from the four-year vocational program and from all the specialized secondary education programs. 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 2007, there were 60 higher education institutions in Latvia (26 colleges – 18 are state and 8 private, and 34 other higher education institutions – 19 are state and 15 private), most of which belong to the state, the rest having been founded by other legal entities or private individuals (more detailed information you can find on http://www.aiknc.lv/en/list.php). A positive tendency is the rapid rise in student numbers seen in recent years. The number of registered students in the 2007/2008 teaching year was over 127 thousand, most of whom (almost 90 thousand) attended public institutions. About a third of them study at state expense, while the rest pay fees. Under discussion is the regulation of tuition fees. In Latvia there are 552 students per 10 000 people, which is the second highest indicator in the world. The highest indicator has Canada with 580 students per 10 000 people.
 

Latvia has two sorts of higher education programs – 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 programs include bachelor's and master's degree programs. 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 program, the student usually has to defend a diploma thesis (a bachelor's or master's thesis). 

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 defense 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 rights to award the doctoral degree are delegated by decision of the Cabinet of Ministers to Promotion councils established at the universities. The procedure for awarding the doctoral degree is controlled by the Commission of the Scientific Qualification. 

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.

Achievement level	Grade	Meaning	Approx. ECTS grade
very high	10	with distinction	A
very high	9	excellent	A
high	8	very good	B
high	7	good	C
medium	6	almost good	D
medium	5	satisfactory	E
medium	4	almost satisfactory	E/FX
low	3–1	unsatisfactory	Fail

 

Higher education institutions mostly run both academic and professional programs. Academic higher education programs are based upon fundamental and/or applied science; they usually comprise a thesis at the end of each stage and lead to a Bachelor’s or master’s degree. Professional higher education – the first level professional higher education or college education leading to professional qualification Level 4, and second level of professional higher education leading to qualification Level 5. Having mastered a program of second level of professional higher education, students are awarded a professional qualification or professional Bachelor’s degree that can be followed by a further professional master’s studies.

 

Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Latvia http://www.izm.gov.lv

Higher Education Quality Evaluation Centre: http://www.aiknc.lv
(Institution of higher education institutions’ accreditation providing full data base of all institutions and study programmes provided by them)

Academic Information Centre: http://www.aic.lv

(Information institution on recognition of foreign professional and academic qualifications in regulated and non-regulated professions)

© The Latvian Institute, 2008