Latvian language learning system lacks long-term planning

Latvia’s Latvian language learning system is fragmented and more often responds to crises than follows long-term planning, according to a study by the public policy centre Providus, reported by LSM.

Language courses are frequently organised after a sudden increase in demand, such as a rise in immigration, rather than being offered as a stable, long-term service. About 50% to 60% of those who took the language proficiency examination passed it last year and the year before.

Courses are currently provided through several separate programmes, but there is no unified information about their results. As a result, it is unclear how effectively they help people integrate into Latvian society.

Providus lead researcher Dārta Pelse said authorities should establish long-term integration priorities and measure the outcomes of language-learning programmes, including examination results and their impact on labour-market inclusion and language use.

Researchers warned that a system based on project funding does not guarantee long-term access to Latvian language courses. They called for a unified and stable approach to language learning.

Professionals in the field have also pointed to what they call a “project-based approach”. The system responds to crises rather than long-term migration trends, which researchers said could result in unequal integration opportunities for different groups of newcomers.

The study also found that state-provided courses are neither the only nor the dominant route to learning Latvian, while privately organised courses are not taken into account in policy planning.

Latvian language learning also highlights problems in attracting foreign workers, according to Jānis Salmiņš, deputy state secretary at the Ministry of Economics responsible for human capital management and macroeconomic development.