Development of inclusion - Latvia

The movement towards integration and inclusion of students with special needs started in the middle of 1990s. The Law on Education stated that every child has the right to obtain his/her education in the school of his/her parents’ choice.
The Ministry of Education and Science has always supported the idea that both trends in special education – special schools (groups, classes) and inclusion in mainstream schools – should exist in Latvia.

Due to the very low birth rate during the last decade the number of students in schools has diminished. This has lead to the situation that every school needs all the children of the local community to attend it to prevent the closure of some classes, or even the whole school.

In this situation more and more mainstream schools and pre-school institutions adapt their curriculum or license new curricula to offer education to children and young persons with different kinds of special needs. To ensure that schools and pre-school institutions have teachers who understand how to work with children with disabilities, universities and colleges offer in-service training for teachers to acquire the qualifications of special teachers. Because of the above-mentioned tendency the number of students in special schools and boarding schools is diminishing.

However, it should be noted that the process of inclusion is not unequivocal. Not all mainstream schools can provide the best support and learning environment the child needs. The attitude of society in general and of parents, children, school staff does not always permit good terms for the integration or inclusion of students with SEN.

There is a strong political will and the support of NGOs to move forward with  the inclusion of children and young persons with different disabilities into the mainstream education system.

The main task of the Ministry of Education and Science, local boards of education and municipality authorities is to provide the best possible conditions for students with special needs in mainstream education institutions.

There is a strong need for the development of a nation-wide support system for persons with special needs. The National Centre for Special Education was established in 2007. Its main objectives are:

• To co-ordinate the development of the support system for SEN;
• To provide methodological guidance for special education;
• To consult all stake-holders about the issues of special education;
• To develop co-operation between different national and international agencies;
• To gather evidence of good practice and to disseminate it;
• To suggest amendments in legislation concerning education of persons with SEN;
• To improve the assessment of children with special needs.