Education System in Latvia
Education System in
the Republic of Latvia
European Commission
Education System in Latvia
The EDUCATION SYSTEM in Latvia is administered by the Ministry of Education and Science.
IMPORTANT FACTS TO KNOW:
• Early childhood education and care is managed by local authorities; the Ministry of Education
and Science sets legal framework for organisation and curriculum of early childhood education.
Pre-school education (ISCED 0) for five- and six-year-olds is compulsory.
•Primary and lower secondary education (ISCED 1-2) is organised as a single structure system
(pamatizglītība) starting at the age of 7 and consisting of nine years of compulsory schooling.
•Upper secondary education (ISCED 3, 4) is not compulsory, but proportion of population with
completed upper secondary education is still high.
•Higher education (ISCED 5-6) is provided by rather autonomous public and private higher
education institutions.
•Adult education is a constituent part of lifelong education system and is provided in formal
programmes and non-formal and informal courses.
European Commission
Education System in Latvia
European Commission
Education System in Latvia
ISCED - 97
Level
Corresponding level and
term in Latvian
Names of corresponding
institutions
ISCED 0
Pre-primary education
Pirmsskolas izglītība
Pirmsskolas izglītības iestāde
(bērnudārzs)/ pirmsskolas
grupas pie skolām
ISCED 1
Primary education (first stage of basic
education)
Pamatizglītības 1. posms
Sākumskola/ pamatskola
ISCED 2A, 2B
General lower secondary education
(second stage of basic education)
Pamatizglītība 2. posms,
vispārējā izglītība
Pamatskola/ vidusskola /
ģimnāzija
ISCED 2C
Vocational lower secondary education
(second stage of basic education)
Pamatizglītības 2. posms,
profesionālā izglītība
Profesionālās izglītības iestāde
ISCED 3A, 3B
Secondary education (general upper
secondary education)
Vidējā vispārējā izglītība
Vidusskola/ ģimnāzija/
profesionālās izglītības iestāde
ISCED 3A, 3C
Secondary education (vocational upper
secondary education)
Vidējā profesionālā izglītība
Profesionālās izglītības iestāde
ISCED 4B
Post secondary non-tertiary education
Vidējā profesionālā izglītība
(vocational (upper)
secondary education
according to Latvian
system)
Profesionālās izglītības iestāde
ISCED 5A
First stage of tertiary education
(university type)
Augstākā izglītība
(universitātes izglītība)
Augstskola/ universitāte/
akadēmija
ISCED 5B
First stage of tertiary education (nonuniversity type)
Augstākā izglītība
(neuniversitātes izglītība)
Koledža/ augstskola
ISCED 6
Second stage of tertiary education
(doctorate)
Augstākā izglītība
(universitātes izglītība)
Augstskola/ universitāte/
akadēmija
European Commission
Education System in Latvia
Some statistics for the school year 2011/2012:
# of institutions
# of pupils/
students
Pre-school
education level
591
88 226
General education
814
206 440
Higher education
58 (inc. colleges)
31 941
European Commission
Education System in Latvia
In Latvia the referencing of education system to European Qualifications Framework
for lifelong learning and the European Higher Education Area Qualification Framework
started in 2009.
The whole process is divided into two phases:
Phase I, 2009-2012: referencing of the existing Latvian education system to EQF for
lifelong learning and European Higher Education Area (EHEA) Qualifications
Framework.
Phase II, 2013-2015: review of the self-assessment report, on the basis of the new
Vocational Education Law, Higher Education Law and the results of European
Structural Funds’ project “Development of sectoral qualifications system and
increasing the efficiency and quality of vocational education” (2010-2013).
The information on the referencing process, the draft of self-assessment report on
referencing process and the possibility to express one’s opinion and propose
amendments is available via the webpage of the Latvian National Coordination Point.
European Commission
Education System in Latvia
Recently initiated debates:
• on general education content and process, and pupils’ learning load
Recently launched and ongoing reforms:
• a comprehensive curriculum reform for 6-11 years old pupils, promoting pupil-centred
teaching, reading literacy and skills for work with information; coordination of the curriculum –
aims, tasks, core curriculum and results - of pre-primary and primary education. Teachers have to
be prepared to use contemporary and creative methods in their work. As a part of the reform in the
school year 2010/11 several schools approbated education programme for six-year-olds.
One of the outcomes of the reform is a legislative change implying that from the school year
2012/13 learning the first foreign language will be compulsory from the 1st school year (some
schools already offer first foreign language from the 1st class although for all schools it is
mandatory to start teaching first foreign language not later than from the 3rd class).
• In 2011, very extensive structural reforms in higher education system have started: the EU
funding has been allocated for the international assessment of study programmes. A university
funding model has been developed that would complement the existing one by increasing
performance and status. EU structural funds are invested to improve the study programmes,
develop new content and new, innovative study programs, both academic and research staff
renewal, giving scholarships to masters’ and doctoral studies.
European Commission
Education System in Latvia
More information in detail you may find in....
- the new
European Encyclopedia on
National Education
Systems
European Commission
Education System in Latvia
...and some useful links:
Eurypedia on Education System of Latvia:
https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/fpfis/mwikis/eurydice/index.php/Latvia:
Overview
The Latvian Institute about Education in Latvia:
http://www.li.lv/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=74&It
emid=1106
Study in Latvia! about studies in Latvia:
http://www.studyinlatvia.lv/
Website of the Ministry of Education and Science:
http://izm.izm.gov.lv/58.html
European Commission