Teachers' union criticizes rushed changes to student assessment rules
Union leader Inga Vanaga accuses the Education Ministry of moving too quickly on changes to exam and grading procedures, while Minister Ilze Indriksone defends the need for immediate action.
Criticism has emerged over the speed at which several significant changes to the student assessment system, including conditions for taking and grading centralized exams, are being pushed through in Latvia. The new requirements were announced only a few weeks before the start of the new school year and are scheduled to take effect on September 1.
Speaking on the program "Spried ar Delfi," Inga Vanaga, chairwoman of the Latvian Trade Union of Education and Science Employees (LIZDA), criticized the pace of these changes. She compared the situation to a hypothetical scenario in which the 5% electoral threshold in parliamentary elections was suddenly abolished — a sudden change to fundamental rules without adequate preparation time. Vanaga suggested the union might request that at least some of the planned changes be temporarily "frozen" until proper implementation could be ensured.
Minister's explanation
Education and Science Minister Ilze Indriksone (National Alliance) responded that the urgency stems from the political timeline — the government was only approved at the end of May, leaving the ministry relatively little time before the start of the new school year. Indriksone stressed that the ministry cannot afford to remain idle and wait until autumn to begin implementing necessary changes.
The dispute highlights tension between education sector representatives, who are calling for more time to discuss and implement changes in schools, and the ministry, which is trying to push reforms forward quickly at the start of its term.
