More than 3,300 Ukrainians will start learning in kindergartens and schools of Latvia on Thursday. Their full integration in the training process is planned this year with education in Latvian only or in minority programs in Ukrainian, Latvian Television reported.
Of the 3,300 children, around 1,000 pupils will start the school year in RÄ«ga this year, around 700 children will go to kindergartens, and another 400 in private education institutions, amounting to more than 2,000 children in the capital. The most demanded is the Riga Ukrainian High School, whose capacity has been exhausted. However, at each school, additional Latvian language lessons will be provided for each child.
“I don't think it will be complicated in other schools where Ukrainian children learn. Educators are informed and children, especially in primary school, are interested in having Ukrainians in their class. It's not a problem with the language. The children learn and find their place very quickly, and it will be good! Summer was the time when children could add to their Latvian knowledge. Several camps were also organized for Ukrainian children,†said Baiba Sieceniece, spokeswoman for the Education, Culture and Sports Department of the Riga City Council.
Data on the number of pupils are still variable. The latest estimates by the Ministry of Education and Science (IZM) show that 3,339 Ukrainian children will start the new school year. Two-thirds will go to school, the remaining one-third to kindergarten. The schools are prepared, and the models on how to implement it successfully vary said the responsible ministry. There will also be aid.
"The state provides, as until now, funding. For each Ukrainian pupil, it is €257 for the implementation of the individual plan, and the individual plan means learning the Latvian language. There is also €50 in aid for study materials," said Olita Arkle, senior expert at the Education and Science Ministry's Education Department.
