Title: Educational Reform in Latvia since the Collapse of the Soviet Union and Integration within the European Union
1Educational Reform in Latvia since the Collapse
of the Soviet Union and Integration within the
European Union
- Dr.hab.paed., prof. Tatjana KOKE
- Minister of Education and Science
- Republic of Latvia
- Teachers College, Columbia University
- September 23, 2008
2Ministry of Education and Science
- Education pre-school, interest education,
compulsory, secondary, special, vocational,
higher, life-long learning - Science fundamental research, market orientated
research, applied research, scientific
institutions - Sport sport for children and youth, sport for
all, sport for people with disabilities, high
performance sports - State language language policy, terminology,
language learning/teaching, multilingualism
3Main issues
- From where we started?
- What was the direction to proceed?
- Major reforms in education
- Gains and losses
- Way forward
4Where is Latvia ?
- General facts
- Capital - Riga
- 2,3 million inhabitants
- 64 589 square km
- 982 basic secondary schools
- 82 vocational schools
- 64 HEI
- 552 students per 10 000 inhabinats 2nd place in
the world
5Main facts of Latvia history
- First inhabitants in the territory of Latvia
9000 B.C. - 12th Century 1918 the Age of German, Polish,
Swedish, and Russian rule in Latvia - Republic of Latvia
- 1918-1940
- regaining of independence in 1991
- Soviet period
- 1940-1941
- 1945-1991
- Nazi German occupation 1941-1945
- Joining NATO and European Union 2004
6Small size, great achievements
- Nobel Price and Latvia
- Wilhelm Ostwald (1853-1932), chemist, awarded
1909 - Paul Walden (1863 1957), chemist, nominated
several times. Waldens Medal was awarded in
Riga, 2008 to Dr.Kurt Wuthrich (Scripps Research
Institute, La Jolla, USA) - Complete set of Olympic medals in Beijing 2008
- Gold BMX, Maris Strombergs
- Silver javelin-throwing, Ainars Kovals
- Bronze weight-lifting, Viktors Scerbatihs
- Cultural heritage
- Song and dance festivals
- Architecture
7Population
8Main differences between Soviet System (SS) and
Democratic society (DS) in Latvia
- SS
- One party system
- Planned economy
- Closed society
- Occupied country
- DS
- Multy-party system
- Market economy
- Open society
- Independent state
9Vision
10What was the Soviet Heritage at School?
- Total centralization characterized by
- Traditional lesson routine
- Structured time table for all
- Lecture style teaching with emphasis on
subject-centered knowledge - Censorship, ideologically based indoctrination
- Belittlement of global and national values
11From authoritarian to democratic school
- To foster decentralization in order to
- Promote initiative and responsibility
- Increase choice of opportunities
- Focus on autonomy and human rights
- Widen understanding of values
12 Latvian education system
13Policy pushes (I)
- Law on Education, 1991
- Competence-based curriculum according to
standards - Diversification of teaching methods
- Centralized national assessment system 3rd,
6th, 9th, 12th grades, gradually from 1997 - Free option for high school students
- Private educational institutions
- Regional university colleges
- Decentralization of education management from
state to municipalities, 1994
14Policy pushes (II)
- Bilingual education reform to strengthen the
position of state language in line with widening
opportunities for studies in mother-tongue,
1998-2004 - ethnic minority schools
- 132 Russian
- 5 Polish
- 2 Jewish
- 1 Byelorussian, Ukrainian, Lithuanian, Estonian
and Roma programs - Sunday schools Liiv, Armenian, Azerbaijan,
Georgian, Greek, Hungarian, Jewish, Ukrainian - Multilingualism
15Policy pushes (III)
- Law on Higher Education Establishments,1995
- State budget funded study places
- Invention of study fees
- Loan system
- Transformation of structure
- Bologna process in higher education, 1999
16Funding of higher education
17Dynamics of students enrollment in universities,
1990/91 2007/08 academic years
Source Overview on Higher Education-2007,
Ministry of Education and Science,
http//www.izm.gov.lv
18Ratio of student/academic staff 2003/04 academic
year
Sweden 9,0 Romania 20,2
Slovakia 10,9 Italy 21,6
Spain 11,7 Latvia 24,1
Finland 12,4 Slovenia 24,6
Bulgaria 12,4 Greece 28,1
United Kingdom 17,8 EU 27 15,9
Source Key Data on Higher Education in Europe,
2007 Edition, European Commission
19Professors out of academic staff
- 41- 50 Belgium, Canada
- 31-40 USA, Japan, Germany
- 21-30 Latvia, France, Italy, Ireland
- 11- 20 Finland, Sweden
- less than 10 United Kingdom, Spain
Source prof.Juris Krumins, Association of
Latvian Professors, Riga, February 7, 2008
20What are the outcomes of the reforms? (I)
- Competence for sustainability, including
labour market, active citizenship and personal
fulfillment - Pre-school compulsory for 5 and 6 years old
- Compulsory standards and curricula towards
acquisition of skills (OECD, PISA) - Secondary changes in philosophy - from subject
matter to analytical and cooperative skills
improvement of educational environment (EU
support) - Special inclusive education
21What are the outcomes of the reforms? (II)
- Interest education involvement, participation
and individualization - Vocational involvement of employers, changes in
curricula towards needs of labor market - Higher
- Internationally valid quality assurance system
- Support of doctoral and master studies and post
doctoral research - Performance of HE including introducing the
Bologna principles - Renovation and modernization of HE infrastructure
- Life-long learning overall framework for Latvian
education, e-learning
22Drawbacks of changes
- High intensity of changes in short period of time
brings uncertainty and dissatisfaction - Consequences of totalitarian way of thinking
lack of ability to accept diversities and cope
with them - Tension between education and labor market needs
- Insufficient financing
- Aging population, incl. educators
- Prestige of teachers profession (T.B.C.)
23Correlation qualification and salary
Study field Accordance Discrepancy
Education 100 127
Humanities and arts 100 114
Natural sciences 100 91
Agriculture 100 115
Health and social work 100 148
Services 100 84
Management, commerce 100 88
Law 100 54
Engineering and technologies 100 91
Source prof.Juris Krumins, Association of
Latvian Professors, Riga, February 7, 2008
24Way forward
- Talent. Technology. Tolerance
- Strengthening autonomy and openness for diversity
based on and for human values - Emphases on responsibility and evidence-based
decision making for better civil society - Widen financing mechanisms, including PPP
- Widen accessibility for Learning society
- Foster students and professionals mobility
25Conclusion
- The Essence of Learning Experience
- develop ability to convert uncertainties and
challenges of the society into priorities and
benefits of the individual
26- Thank you!
- tatjana.koke_at_izm.gov.lv
- http//www.izm.gov.lv