Latvian court approves conversion of Russophone schools
The national education reform mandates Latvian as the only language of instruction.
The national education reform mandates Latvian as the only language of instruction.
RIGA, Latvia (AFP) — Latvia’s constitutional court on Friday rejected an appeal against a reform converting all Russian-language schools to Latvian, ruling it compatible with the Baltic country’s constitution and international commitments.
After achieving independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, the Baltic country inherited a substantial Russian minority making up around 30 percent of its population of 1.8 million with its own distinct education system.
For years, North Atlantic Treaty Organization member Latvia has been working to steadily de-Russianize, banning some Russian media and beefing up security along its border.
Launched in 2019, the national education reform mandates Latvian as the only language of instruction in state schools, in effect forcing Russian-speaking institutions to switch.
However, it allows each school to retain courses in Russian language, history and literature.
The reform is expected to affect around 150 Russophone schools along with another further 90 bilingual institutions.
“Teachers, children and their parents have had plenty of time to prepare,” Iveta Ratinika, a teacher and member of the capital Riga’s Education Council told Agence France-Presse.
“The Constitutional Court confirmed that the reforms were legally correct,” she added.
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