Republic of Latvia Cabinet Regulation No. 480 Adopted 15 July 2016

Guidelines for the Upbringing of Educatees and the Procedures for the Evaluation of Information, Teaching Aids, Materials, and Study and Upbringing Methods

Issued pursuant to
Section 14, Clauses 38 and 39
of the Education Law

I. General Provisions

1. The Regulation prescribes:

1.1. the guidelines for the upbringing of educatees, also national and moral upbringing (hereinafter - the upbringing), in educational institutions, except for higher education institutions, including govern the provisions for the use of the national symbols of Latvia - national flag, national anthem, and the State coat of arms - at an educational institution and the events organised thereby;

1.2. the events to be organised for celebrating public holidays at educational institutions, except for higher education institutions;

1.3. the procedures for the evaluation of the conformity of information, including teaching aids and materials and also study and upbringing methods, with the ensuring of the moral development of an educatee and also the criteria for such evaluation.

2. The head of an educational institution shall be responsible for compliance with these provisions at the educational institution.

3. Within the meaning of this Regulation, upbringing is a purposefully organised integral part of the education process, promoting comprehensive, including moral, development and the development of attitudes of an educatee. Upbringing is focused on the acquisition of social and cultural experience, the development of emotional intelligence and self-regulation of educatees, the formation of a value system and cultivation of virtues (value education) to form relationships, cooperation, civic responsibility, and a successful life in society. Upbringing is closely related to self-upbringing (introspection and self-improvement).

4. The education process shall promote the understanding, responsible attitude, and behaviour of an educatee while demonstrating the following values - life, human dignity, freedom, family, marriage, work, nature, culture, the Latvian language, and the State of Latvia. The virtues referred to in Paragraph 7 of this Regulation shall be cultivated to demonstrate and implement these values. Formation of the value system and cultivation of virtues is a lifelong process.

II. Goal and Objectives of Upbringing and Virtues to be Cultivated

5. The goal of upbringing is to enable each educatee to become a decent human being, a moral, capable, and responsible personality in society, to promote the understanding of the educatee of the values and virtues by facilitating their introduction, to enrich their cultural and historical experience, to strengthen their affiliation and loyalty to the State of Latvia and the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia (hereinafter - the Constitution).

6. The objectives of the upbringing for the development of attitudes include promoting the following of educatees:

6.1. ability to think freely and independently by developing critical thinking, moral reasoning, and facilitating responsible behaviour;

6.2. self-awareness, introspection, inculcation of will, self-improvement, and positive self-esteem, lifelong self-upbringing;

6.3. freedom as the opportunity to reach their aspirations and goals without limiting the basic rights of other people, including freedom;

6.4. self-discipline, understanding of their responsibilities and rights, and facilitating their observance;

6.5. respect for life, oneself, and others, cultivating health-enhancing and safe habits;

6.6. orientation towards family, marriage, awareness of the solidarity of generations in the preservation of values, national reproduction and development;

6.7. affiliation with the Latvian, European, and global cultural space, understanding of general human and Christian values, the Latvian folk wisdom, cultural heritage, traditions and their preservation, participation in the transfer of the cultural heritage and traditions and in the development of the Latvian cultural space at present;

6.8. purposeful attitude towards work as a way of self-fulfilment and acquisition of the means of subsistence, and the source of well-being;

6.9. awareness of the national identity and statehood, loyalty to the State of Latvia and the Constitution, patriotism;

6.10. cooperation in the education process and beyond, civic participation in the strengthening of a democratic society;

6.11. responsibility for the protection and sustainability of nature and the surrounding environment.

7. The most important virtues to be cultivated in the process of upbringing (manifestations of free thinking and actions of an individual) shall be as follows:

7.1. responsibility - the will and ability to foresee the consequences of own choices and actions and to act while also respecting the dignity and freedom of other people;

7.2. diligence - industriousness, assiduity, carefulness, and willingness to do any work in the most purposeful, qualitative, and productive manner;

7.3. courage - decisiveness, overcoming of fear, strength of character, assessment of situation and respectful behaviour, initiative, aspirations for justice and the good;

7.4. honesty - reliability, genuineness, consistency between words and deeds;

7.5. wisdom - ability to use knowledge for promoting the good in own life and the life of society;

7.6. kindness - grace, sympathy to others, politeness;

7.7. compassion - developed empathy, willingness to put oneself in the place of others, and active support;

7.8. moderation - balance between actions and beliefs, ability to separate reasonable desires from unreasonable desires and to refuse from the unnecessary, refraining from what hinders personal growth;

7.9. composure - control and management of behaviour and emotional expressions, respecting personal freedom and the freedom of others and also respecting oneself and others;

7.10. solidarity - mutual support and coherence of action, care for his or her own good, for the good of others and for the common good, democratic dialogue with others;

7.11. fairness - honest decision-making, observing human rights and other reasonable interests and public morality;

7.12. tolerance - lenience, willingness to understand diversities (for example, personal appearance, health condition, behaviour, opinion, beliefs, traditions).

III. Implementation of the Goal and Objectives of Upbringing at an Educational Institution

8. The process of upbringing is uniform, successive, continuous, and diverse. Values and virtues shall be cultivated by teachers and educatees through introducing virtues in mutual relationships and improving their value systems. The upbringing of educatees shall be implemented:

8.1. during lessons, the lesson of the class or group teacher, extracurricular activities, intervals, in interest-related education programmes, various events and projects organised by an educational institution (within and outside the educational institution), in everyday life situations;

8.2. through cooperation between teachers and the parents (guardians) of the educatee and the family of the educatee;

8.3. through pedagogical cooperation, mutual relations between the educatee and the teacher, support staff, and other employees of an educational institution.

9. An educational institution shall ensure an aesthetic, functional, and safe learning and an upbringing environment favourable for the comprehensive development of an educatee (for instance, by including value education in the priority objectives of the development plan of the educational institution, designing and introducing a code of ethics at the educational institution and rules for supporting positive behaviour of educatees; if problem situations arise - they shall be solved quickly).

10. In the implementation of the goal and objectives of upbringing, an educational institution shall:

10.1. observe justice and equality with regard to all educatees regardless of the race, ethnicity, gender, age, language, social background, nationality, religious, political, or other beliefs, health condition or other circumstances of an educatee or his or her family members;

10.2. respect the individual differences of the development, religious, linguistic, cultural, and the social and emotional environment differences of each educatee, differences in his or her abilities, education, and special needs;

10.3. promote the understanding of an educatee of the values, objectives, and virtues referred to in Paragraphs 4, 6, and 7 of this Regulation, ensure the development of critical thinking and moral reasoning, motivate for moral behaviour, cooperation, and mutual support, for learning about and creative retransfer of the Latvian cultural space, traditional culture, including its local and regional differences and ethical heritage;

10.4. promote the understanding of an educatee of a family and marriage as specially protected values, starting a family, the role of parents and mutual relationships in the family, organise events which promote the strengthening of these values (for example, celebrating the Family Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day);

10.5. strengthen the national awareness of an educatee, promote civic participation and initiative, loyalty and patriotism, including by organising celebrations of national holidays and Latvian traditional holidays, remembrance days, and festive days, and other events which deepen the understanding of the history of Latvia, the emergence of the State, restoration of statehood, the fate of the nation, the War of Independence, and the protection of the State which contribute to a sense of pride for the State of Latvia and its people, popularise the examples of the lives and activity of people which demonstrate selflessness and altruism for the benefit of the State of Latvia, contribute to affiliation with his or her educational institution, region, city, or town, and inform of the opportunities for civic participation;

10.6. promote the use and development of the official language by educatees and teachers;

10.7. promote the independence and responsible behaviour of educatees, ensure their representation and participation in making proposals and decisions, in ensuring their fulfilment and control, including in the work of a self-governance body of educatees;

10.8. design upbringing directions for the implementation of the goal and objectives of upbringing for a period of three years and a plan for each academic year, appointing a person responsible for the implementation, coordination, and supervision of the plan, systematically organise the evaluation and analysis of upbringing-related work (including the self-assessment of teachers);

10.9. organise events or support the participation of teachers and educatees in events which are not in contradiction with Paragraph 17 of this Regulation.

11. In the implementation of the goal and objectives of upbringing, a teacher shall:

11.1. be professionally independent and responsible for the choice of the information, teaching aids, materials, and study and upbringing methods used in the educational process and their conformity with the goal and objectives of the upbringing of an educatee;

11.2. be objective, loyal to the State of Latvia and its Constitution, not engage in campaigning, observe political and religious neutrality;

11.3. not discredit the educational institution or the State through his or her actions or the opinions expressed;

11.4. improve his or her professional competence in upbringing matters in the scope of at least six hours every three years within the module of the general competencies of the teacher.

IV. National Holidays, Remembrance Days, and Festive Days and the Use of National Symbols (National Flag, National Anthem, the State Coat of Arms) at an Educational Institution

12. An educational institution shall organise festive events for national holidays - the International Workers' Day, the First Meeting of the Constitutional Assembly of the Republic of Latvia on 1 May, the Restoration of Independence of the Republic of Latvia on 4 May, and the Independence Day of the Republic of Latvia on 18 November.

13. An educational institution shall organise events or participate in activities organised by the State which promote the understanding and development of attitudes towards events related to the Commemoration Day of the Participants of the Barricades of 1991 on 20 January, Commemoration Day of the Victims of Genocide by the Communist Regime on 25 March and 14 June, Defeat of Nazism and Commemoration Day of Victims of World War II on 8 May, the Europe Day on 9 May, Adoption of the Constitutional Law On the Statehood of the Republic of Latvia on 21 August, Latvian Freedom Fighters' Remembrance Day - Lāčplēsis Day on 11 November, and other memorial and festive days established by the law On Holidays, Remembrance, and Festive Days at the discretion of the educational institution.

14. The national flag and the large State coat of arms, and also the text of the national anthem shall be visibly displayed in an educational institution, ensuring respectful attitude.

15. The national anthem shall be performed at an educational institution according to the procedures and on the occasions provided for by the law On the National Anthem of Latvia, and also on the Knowledge Day, at the event celebrating the end of a stage or a level of education, during the celebration of an anniversary of the educational institution, and other events important for the educational institution.

16. The national flag shall be used at an educational institution according to the procedures and on the occasions provided for in the Law on the National Flag of Latvia, and also on the Knowledge Day, at the event celebrating the end of a stage or a level of education, during the celebration of an anniversary of the educational institution, and other events important for the educational institution.

V. Procedures for the Evaluation of the Conformity of Information, Teaching Aids, Materials, and Study and Upbringing Methods with Ensuring of the Moral Development of an Educatee and the Criteria for Such Evaluation

17. The conformity of information, teaching aids, materials, and study and upbringing methods used in the education process with ensuring of the moral development of an educatee shall be evaluated according to the following criteria:

17.1. conformity with the Constitution and the human rights provided for in other binding laws and regulations;

17.2. conformity with the educational goals and objectives established in the pre-school education guidelines or the national education standards and also this Regulation;

17.3. conformity with the general didactic principles, including with the perception, experience, and interests of the educatee at the corresponding age; are purposeful, scientific, and clear; ensure consistency, objectivity, and a positive learning and upbringing background;

17.4. they do not encourage cruelty, physical or emotional violence; do not contain pornography or propaganda of habits which cause humiliation of a person, lascivious behaviour, or addiction;

17.5. they are not oriented towards inciting national, ethnic, racial, social, or religious hatred or radicalisation;

17.6. they are not oriented towards the discrimination of a person or a group of people on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, age, language, social background, nationality, religious, political, or other beliefs, health, or other circumstances;

17.7. they are not directed at public denial, justification, glorification, or gross derogation of genocide by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Nazi Germany, crimes against humanity, crimes against peace, or war crimes against the Republic of Latvia and its residents; do not encourage abolishing the State independence and territorial unity of the Republic of Latvia.

18. The conformity of information, teaching aids, materials, and study and upbringing methods with ensuring of the moral development of an educatee shall be evaluated according to the criteria referred to in Paragraph 17 of this Regulation by a teacher independently or in cooperation with other teachers or the administration of an educational institution.

19. When cooperating with natural and legal persons, including receiving gifts, an educational institution shall ensure conformity of the information, teaching aids, and materials, study and upbringing methods with the criteria referred to in Paragraph 17 of this Regulation.

20. An educational institution, in cooperation with the local community and other cooperation partners may also organise and participate in other events which are not specified in this Regulation, including international events and projects, if they are not in contradiction with the criteria referred to in Paragraph 17 of the Regulation.

21. Parents (guardians) of a child educatee who is using such information, teaching aid, material, or method in the study or upbringing process or an adult educatee who is using such information, teaching aid, material, or method in the study or upbringing process, may address the teacher and receive a substantiated explanation (statement of reasons) of the conformity of such information, teaching aids, materials, or methods with ensuring of the moral development of the educatee.

22. If the explanation (statement of reasons) of a teacher on the conformity of information, teaching aid, material, or method does not satisfy the parents (guardians) of an educatee or the adult educatee, they may submit an application (specifying the statement of reasons) to the head of an educational institution with a request to evaluate the information, teaching aid, material, or method specified in the application. The head of the educational institution, independently or in cooperation with other teachers or the council of the educational institution, shall evaluate the conformity of the information, teaching aid, material, or method specified in the application and take a decision.

23. Parents (guardians) of an educatee whose child is using such information, teaching aid, material, or method in the study or upbringing process or an adult educatee who is using such information, teaching aid, material, or method in the study or upbringing process, may submit an application (specifying the statement of reasons) to an educational institution requesting that the information, teaching aid, material, or method specified in the application is evaluated by the council of the educational institution if the Education Law provides for the creation of the council of the educational institution.

24. The council of an educational institution shall decide on the conformity or non-conformity of the information, teaching aid, material, or method used in the study or upbringing process with ensuring the moral development of an educatee by the majority of votes, specifying the statement of reasons. The council of the educational institution shall submit the decision to the head of the educational institution. The decision of the council shall take the form of recommendation.

Prime Minister Māris Kučinskis

Acting for the Minister for Education and Science -
Minister for Agriculture Jānis Dūklavs

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Translation © 2021 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre)