More Latvian students seek basic education after exam failures

More students who failed ninth-grade examinations in Latvia are seeking ways to complete basic education this year, LSM reported. Last year, 459 ninth-graders failed at least one centralised basic-school examination and consequently did not receive a basic education certificate.

After repeating ninth grade or studying at a vocational school while completing a profession and part of the ninth-grade curriculum, fewer than half of those students have managed to graduate from basic school this year.

Only 22 students who failed basic-school examinations chose the bridging year introduced last year. Demand for the programme is higher this year.

Rūdolfs Kalvāns, head of the office of the Minister of Education and Science, said there was no good solution for students in this situation. This is one reason behind a proposal to remove the pass threshold for centralised basic-school examinations, allowing all students with passing annual grades to receive a basic education certificate.

“The aim is to ensure as much as possible that every student, every young person, especially a minor, remains in the education system and does not end up on the street,” Kalvāns said. He added that failing the examinations could cause students’ motivation to decline sharply after ninth grade.

Under the proposal, if approved by the government, students would still have to take the examinations, but their results would no longer determine whether they receive a certificate. Kalvāns said there would no longer be such a concept as a failed examination: tests receiving results of both 90% and 5% would be considered completed.

About 800 basic-school students failed examinations, according to the report. Until recently, the only option for students who failed was to repeat ninth grade. The bridging year was introduced last year.