Latvia wants to ban Russian and Belarusian citizens from teaching in schools
The National Alliance faction in Latvia's parliament has initiated a move to ban Russian and Belarusian citizens from teaching in the country's schools.
Delfi reported on 5 June that the Latvian parliament had proposed an initiative to change the requirements for teachers, prohibiting citizens of Russia and Belarus from working in Latvian schools.
According to Delfi, the Ministry of Education and Science reported that 214 Russian and Belarusian citizens are working in schools.
The opposition argues that “it is unacceptable that the new generation in Latvia is being raised and taught by citizens of the aggressor state.”
The National Alliance has prepared a draft parliamentary decision that would task Education and Science Minister Anda Čakša (“New Unity”) with amending Cabinet Regulation No. 569 “On the Required Education and Professional Qualifications of Teachers and the Procedures for Improving the Professional Competence of Teachers” to establish a ban on Russian and Belarusian citizens working in Latvian educational institutions.
The Latvian government approved a new state education standard in April, according to which Russian will gradually cease to be taught as a second foreign language in the country’s schools.
The Latvian Constitutional Court ruled on 15 February that the provision of the immigration law requiring Russian citizens to pass a language exam and declare their source of income is constitutional.
