Diversity Enters Latvian Schools

04/07/2006

Author: Ivars Austers, Marija Golubeva, Maksims Kovalenko, Ieva Strode

Year: 2006
Financed by: Soros Foundation - Latvia, Society Integration Foundation, European Union
Language: Latvian, Russian

The study adresses the issue of ethnic minority students in Latvian-language schools. Using interviews, focus groups and questionnaires, the researchers have analysed the issues of equal access to education, subjective well-being and academic achievements of Russian and other minority students in Latvian schools.

The findings point to the absence of discrimination of minority students and reveal that their academic record and subjective well-being levels are similar to those of their ethnic Latvian classmates. At the same time, the survey of teachers’ attitudes shows that part of teachers in Latvian schools are unprepared to deal with a linguistically and ethnically diverse audience, and most teachers lack formal training in Latvian as second language teaching and intercultural education skills.

The researchers offer policy recommendations based on the results of the study.

 Diversity Enters Latvian Schools. Integration of Ethnic Minority Students in Latvian-language Schools (in Latvian) (1.61 MB)

 Diversity Enters Latvian Schools. Integration of Ethnic Minority Students in Latvian-language Schools (in Russian) (1.36 MB)

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