Мар 24 2014

• Minister of Education Ina Druviete: Latvian language proficiency of ethnic minority students is not good enough

Diena interviews the Minister of Education Ina Druviete. The Minister believes that graduates of ethnic minority schools have good Latvian language proficiency but it is not good enough, because the language environment in such schools does not strengthen language knowledge. Therefore, it is important to search for way how to ensure more successful state language learning. According to the Minister, staring with 2018 the proportion of state language and minority language in schools might be 80% of subjects in state language, 20% - in minority language.  The Minister asserts that there are no basis to speak about closure of ethnic minority schools as learning subjects concerning ethnic identity of minorities will remain in their native language. The Minister says that Latvia will continue its good traditions of ethnic minority education, but it is time to strengthen more Latvian language.