Association for Support of Schools with Russian Language of Instruction in Latvia (LAShOR) Memorandum The State has ceased the dialogue on problems of education of national minorities 6 April 2006 Riga, Latvia LAShOR considers, that the primary and secondary school education exercised through the medium of the family language serves as the means of development of the native language and self-esteem of students. It is the principal means of maintenance of national minority cultural and national identity. In the meantime we are confident, that the maintenance of the Russian language and culture in Latvia can be provided only in interrelation and balance with the maintenance of the Latvian language and culture as well as the languages and cultures of other ethnic and linguistic groups of Latvia. The main obstacle for the maintenance of minority cultural identity The transition of minority education to the state (Latvian) language is under way since 1995 in Latvia. It threatens the further maintenance of cultural identity of children from the families, where minority languages are spoken. (Please note, that the curriculum for about 99 per cent of minority school students of Latvia has been taught in Russian until recently.) International obligations of Latvia Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe in its Resolution 1236 of 2001 has welcome Latvian authorities to maintain an open dialogue with the non-Latvian speaking community on the further implementation of Education Law <…> and the implementation of minority education programmes in primary schools. The Republic of Latvia has also committed in accordance with Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, Article 15, “to create the conditions necessary for the effective participation of persons belonging to national minorities in cultural, social and economic life and in public affairs, in particular those affecting them.” Dialogue with Latvian authorities in 2001-2004 The dialogue between the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Latvia (MES) and the non-governmental organisations (NGO), that worked to express the interest of national minorities in Latvia, has been formed within the Consultative Council on national minorities education issues. Although the activities of the Council were completely under control of MES officers till 2003 and were manipulated by them later, nevertheless NGO had opportunities to get at consideration of minority education problems and their own proposals at that time. The dialogue with MES has been considerably developed in summer of 2004 under the government of Mr. I.Emsis: • The project team was established with MES (Minister of Education and Science Mr. J.Radzevitch) on 7 July 2004. Its task was to perfect the existing curriculum on the base of proposals of LAShOR; • It was under the mass discontent of transition of minorities’ education to the Latvian language, that another project team was established with MES for the consideration of the draft Law on National Minorities Educational Establishments. The experts had worked out draft Law. They made use of most of LAShOR proposals on reforming of national minorities’ education. However on the eve of the government crisis in September, 2004 the activities of the group on the draft have been interrupted. Suspension of dialogue in 2005 The dialogue about the issues of transition of education to the Latvian language has been actually suspended under the government of Mr. A.Kalvitis (Minister of Education and Science Ms. I.Druviete) that was put to power in December 2004. It was as follows: • In December 2004 the Minister of Education and Science let know that she regarded the draft Law on National Minorities Educational Establishments and consequently the activities of the project team unnecessary; • During 2005 in spite of our repeated reminding MES refused to keep on the activities of the project team on the improvement of the existing curriculum on the base of proposals of LAShOR; • on 14 December 2005 MES with reference to the Consultative Council attempted to recognise the activities of this team as inexpedient. MES has suspended the consultations with NGO even through the Consultative Council: • The important decisions on minority education have been adopted by MES without consideration in the Council. The draft government regulations on the minimal and highest possible amount of pupils in a school class, that directly regulate the maintenance of minority classes, have been worked out without consultation with the Council. A new subject History of Latvia has been included into the curriculum of a primary school without consultation with the Council, too. LAShOR had introduced its proposals to MES on both issues, but wasn’t invited by MES for consultations. In 2005 MES has started the development of education standard for the secondary school, tackling also the instruction of the minority language, but there have been no consultations on this matter so far; • MES has failed to secure a quorum at the meetings of the Consultative Council since spring 2005. Therefore the Council was not able to make decisions. The lack of quorum, on our opinion, proves a low prestige of the Council even among those its members that MES relies upon while issuing its politics in the Council; • No invitation for participating in the meetings of the Council has come in 2006, by now. Representatives of MES have repeatedly announced that the transition to education in the Latvian language has been successfully performed, that it makes no problem any longer and that therefore it is not necessary to keep on discussions about integration of society by means of education. The unwillingness of the authorities and of MES, in particular to keep up the constructive cooperation with national minorities on issues of education reduces a very small resource of confidence that Russian-speaking residents of Latvia have in the policy of the state on integration of society. Board of LAShOR