Issue description

Adult education and lifelong learning

 

20.10.2021.

 

Education is a learning of knowledge and skills, both formal and non-formal (courses, seminars) in the training and parenting process. Lifelong learning is, on the other hand, an educational process that relies on the need to acquire knowledge, skills and experience in order to raise or change their qualifications, in line with interests and needs, and on the demands of the labour market. Lifelong learning covers formal and non-formal education and day-to-day learning – at home, at work or elsewhere, in interaction with other people. Every way we get to the knowledge and skills we need in life is considered to be learning, and the knowledge and skills that we have acquired in any way, in terms of learning.

 

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1. Background, secondary or vocational education not completed1. Background, secondary or vocational education not completed

Regardless of age or when it is the end of training, you can obtain basic and secondary education at any stage of your life by learning:

  • in off-site education programmes, by acquiring part of the content of the educational programme implemented by the educational institution independently;
  • in distance education programmes, by acquiring the content of the educational programme independently, in an individual way, using educational establishments, specially structured teaching materials, various technical and electronic means of communication.

You can obtain information on educational establishment programmes in the State Education Information System. You can find information about local government educational institutions where you can learn educational programmes for distance and distance learning, at the website of the specific local government.

Finish training and get a profession in vocational education institutions. The list and contact details of the institutions shall be searched on the website of the Ministry of Education and Science.

 

2. Assessment of the skills acquired in life and work 2. Assessment of the skills acquired in life and work

If the skills required for work are already acquired in the working environment or elsewhere, you have the opportunity to apply for the assessment of knowledge, skills and competences. It will help both to obtain nationally recognised qualifications for an already experienced professional and if you choose to change the scope. Training is not likely to be started from scratch, as existing knowledge already serves as a basis to complement you in a new field.

 

In order to assess professional competence, a professional qualification examination must be conducted. During that period, the person shall demonstrate his or her professional capacity and shall assess the conformity of those abilities with the standard requirements of the profession. Workers and self-employed residents aged 25 years who have acquired a profession in the course of work outside the formal education system may obtain a qualification by passing a professional qualification examination in one of Latvia's accredited vocational education institutions or examination centres.

 

In order to apply for the assessment and qualification of skills, it is necessary to select one of the professional qualifications indicated in the list maintained by the State Education Quality Service and the educational establishment carrying out the assessment of professional competence. The application must then be submitted to the educational establishment selected by the lead

 

Since the professional qualification examination is a fee service provided for by Regulation No 791 of the Cabinet of Ministers of 10 September 2013 entitled “Schedule of fees for professional education establishments and examination centres”, since 5 October 2017 workers may receive substantial financial support – 90% of the costs of the European Union for funds of the Foundation and the State budget, the development of the professional competence of persons employed in the project. A person who has been granted poor or disadvantaged status may be compensated for 100% of the costs. The size of the costs depends on the number of people who arrange the exams, as well as on the need for specifically-called examiners. More information can be found on the website of the project.

 

In order to obtain compensation for expenses incurred in the successfully completing a professional qualification examination and obtaining a State-recognised professional qualification certificate, the must turn to the State Agency for Development of Education and submit:

  • application;
  • Participant Questionnaire;
  • a copy of the payment order document for the payment of the service performed;
  • a copy of the document certifying the professional qualification obtained;
  • a copy of a statement of the status of a poor or disadvantaged person, where such status was granted at the time of application for the assessment of competence.

 

You can submit documents:

 

Unemployed persons registered in the State Employment Agency of may receive support for the assessment of professional competence in the framework of the European Social Fund “Support for Unemployment Education” project. Additional information is available on the website of the State Employment Agency.

 

When studying higher education programmes, a person may submit a statement to the on the recognition of the skills acquired outside the formal education or of professional experience and the results of studies in previous education. When performing the recognition of competencies and receiving a statement from an institution of higher education, a person may shorten his or her study time or plan studies more flexibly. The application arrangements should be interested in a specific higher education institution.

 

3. Upgrading of qualifications 3. Upgrading of qualifications

If you have decided to learn to change your work or professional field, you can use the labour market forecasting tool of the State Employment Agency to find out what changes are in the labour market in different sectors. The State Employment Agency also offers remote career counselling on the Telephony or Zoom site. They are free and accessible to all stakeholders: you will be able to receive answers to questions of interest and support in addressing the situation. You need to sign up in advance for a career counseling. Contact details of career advisers of branches of the State Employment Agency can be found on the website of the State Employment Agency.

 

Adult education programmes

To find information on adult learning opportunities in Latvia's municipalities and cities and choose the right ones, use the Information Accessibility on lifelong learning opportunities service and the interactive map available on the portal www.muzizglitiba.gov.lv. When you visit the links on the map, you will be able to find out about the opportunities in specific municipalities, the professions and educational programmes that are closest to the place of residence. For informational advice on training, available support and procedures for receiving it and other issues, you can refer to the adult education officers – select the nearest one, ask for help and get support!

 

You can also be interested in the range of adult educational opportunities closest to the place of residence in the relevant municipality by writing to its E Logotips e-address or by using other contact details specified by the municipality. A list of activities organised and co-financed by the municipality from 18 years of age (adult non-formal education, training of teachers and interest education) is available to Riga residents on the website of the Riga Education and informational center.

 

In order to improve the professional competence of the persons employed and to promote, the State Education Development Agency shall implement a project “Development of the Professional Competencies of the persons employed” or training for adults, where it proposes to acquire new skills or to improve existing skills. Workers and self-employed workers can apply for training. You can find out more about reception conditions, available support and education programmes here. Training programmes offer vocational education institutions, vocational training centers, private education institutions, local government foundations, etc.

 

No documents are required when selecting educational programmes available on the website of the National Agency for Development of Education, due to the online application. Employed and self-employed people can apply for training:

  • from 25 years to unlimited age (including working pensioners);
  • incomplete or completed education, including basic education, general secondary, vocational or higher education;
  • young parents on parental leave while maintaining their working relationship.

 

In the absence of the possibility of applying for online training, apply in advance for an on-site visit, present a personal identification document and draw up an application for training in one of the following ways:

  • At the State Education Development Agency, Riga, Z. A. Meierovica Boulevard on 1 - 16, 5 th floors (telephone for signing up: 67854769);
  • in one of the co-operation local governments of the State Agency for Development of Education with an adult education coordinator, the contact details of which can be found on the website of the State Agency for Development of Education.

 

The cost of training in the acquisition of vocational continuing training programmes at 95% is covered by the European Union funds and the national co-payment of 5% is the working co-payment. In the acquisition of other education programmes, European Union funds and the State cover 90% of the tuition fee and 10% is the co-payment of the worker. Training shall be free of charge for persons with a low-income or poor status.

 

Learning opportunities for different adult groups

Education programmes for adults are implemented by municipal training centres, vocational education institutions, lifelong learning departments or cents of higher education, private education providers and non-governmental organisations. Various non-formal and vocational development education programmes, including language courses, are offered by universities such as - University of Latvia, Riga Stradiņa University, Latvian Academy of Culture, Latvian Agricultural University . A catalogue of adult education programmes is available in the State Education Information System.

Training for employees requested for training by the employer shall be co-ordinated by the Ministry of Economics. Training is organised by industry associations, their list is available on the website of the Central Financial and Contract Agency in support of the 1st round and 2nd round.

 

Information on project promoters organising ICT and non-technological training and training to encourage investor engagement is available under support programmes Support for ICT and non-technological training, and training to encourage investor engagement.

 

Training in the field of digital technologies for self-employed persons, small and micro-business merchants is organised by the Information and Communication Technology Association of Latvia.

For persons with disabilities, refugees and persons with alternative status who have registered as unemployed or job seekers, training is organised by State Employment Agency.

 

Measures to increase competiveness

Measures to boost competitiveness are aimed at promoting the competitiveness of unemployed people, job seekers and those at risk of unemployment in the labour market. They will provide an opportunity for clients of the State Employment Agency to acquire knowledge and understand the specificities of a particular sector, the working conditions expected, the responsibilities, etc., which would contribute to their knowledge before taking decisions on career change or involvement in one of the vocational continuing training programmes. More information on topics and applications for competitiveness measures is available at the State Employment Agency website.

 

How to make sure that qualifications will be awarded after learning the adult education programme?

There are several types of adult education programmes: vocational training, vocational training and non-formal education programmes. Qualifications shall only be granted after the acquisition of the vocational training programme. The successful acquisition of the vocational continuing training programme shall be issued a document recognised by the State - a vocational qualification certificate, a certificate regarding the acquisition of the vocational development programme. In order to issue an educational document recognised by the State, the educational programme must be accredited. Vocational training programmes shall be characterised by the number of training hours - 480 hours for the second level of professional qualification and 960 hours for the third level of professional qualifications. It shall be determined Education Law and Professional education law.

 

Before starting training, we call for the educational establishment to provide information on the ongoing accreditation of the vocational development and continuing vocational training programme. After the acquisition of the non-formal adult education programme, the implementing body shall issue a certificate regarding the acquisition of the programme.

 

4. Non-formal adult education 4. Non-formal adult education

If you want to learn something for your pleasure and spend your spare time learning artwork, dancing, acting in a theater or otherwise, learn about the activities organised by your municipality by searching for information on the local government website or by contacting the adult education coordinator or employee. A list of interest education programmes implemented by institutions established by legal persons is available on the website of the State Education Information System.

 

Riga Education and Information Methodist Centre website a list of lessons organised and co-financed by the municipality is available to everyone aged 18. The list of educational institutions of young people's interests is sought by the Education, Culture and Sport Department of the Riga City Council in the Catalogue. List of interest education programmes implemented by other legal persons, licensed by Riga municipality, available in the Education, Culture and Sports Department of Riga City Council website. The list of interests and non-formal adult education programmes performed by private individuals licensed by the Education, Culture and Sports Department of Riga City Council is available at the Riga City Council Education, Culture and Sport Department website.

 

When seeking educational opportunities for interests, attention should be paid to the fact that if interest education programmes (clusters) are offered by an economic operator (which is not a registered educational institution) or a private practice educator, they must have a licence issued by the local government for the implementation of an interest education programme (assembly), while the private practice educator needs a certificate for the commencement of private practice. Otherwise, it will be impossible to recover overpaid taxes on eligible costs for education.

 

5. Aid for transport expenditure, assistant and surrogator services, and tax compensation for training expenses 5. Aid for transport expenditure, assistant and surrogator services, and tax compensation for training expenses

If you are a worker aged 25 with a low-income or poor status, or a disabled person, and you are learning one of the educational programmes offered by www.macibaspieaugusajiem.lv, you may receive: 

 

If you are an unemployed person registered in the State Employment Agency, you have the possibility to receive a financial contribution of up to €150 per month to support regional mobility:

  • covering transport costs for journeys between the declared place of life and the place of training (up to a maximum of EUR 7 per day);
  • residential areas for compensation for rental or service hotel expenses.

Additional information is available at the State Employment Agency website.

 

You can get a refund on tuition expenses by stating them in your annual income statement. The supporting documents on education (including non-formal education, children's groups) may be added to the annual income statement through the mobile application “Eligible Expenses” and by submitting the annual income statement electronically, using the Electronic Declaration System (EDS) of the State Revenue Service (EDS). Read more information on the website of the State Revenue Service in and in the description of the life situation Annual Income Statement.

 

6. Lost educational documents 6. Lost educational documents

If a document certifying education has been lost, it is necessary to create a duplicate document. The duplicate educational document shall have the same effect as the original document.

If the basic education certificate or secondary education attestation is lost, stolen, destroyed or non-renewable damaged, the duplicate of the general education document will be drawn up by the educational institution in accordance with the information recorded in the registration book of the issued educational documents. If an educational institution has been liquidated or reorganised as another type of educational institution which does not issue a copy of a general education document such as the lost, stolen, destroyed or non-renewable defect, the duplicate will be drawn up in the relevant local government education management institution or local government education specialist.

 

In order to receive a duplicate of the educational document from the local government, the person concerned the municipality an application shall be submitted to which the following are attached:

In order to receive a duplicate of the educational document, an advertisement must be submitted in the official publication “Latvijas Vēstnesis”, declaring the original educational document invalid. The advertisement may be submitted by:

 

Upon receipt of the submission, the local government shall issue an invoice regarding the issuance of a duplicate general education. The duplicate is issued only after the invoice has been paid.

 

A duplicate higher education diploma shall be issued by the institution of higher education in which the original document has been received. Documents certifying the education of students of higher education shall be kept for 75 years.

 

7. Education professionals 7. Education professionals

Check the website of the State Education Content Centre for topics and information on events and contests in various areas of interest education. There are also various resources available for parenting.

 

Information on Education Programmes for the Development of Vocational Competencies of Teachers is available on the website of the Ministry of Education and Science, entitled Pedagogiem, Development of professional competence of teacher.

 

EPALE is an international community for adult education professionals – adult trainers and trainers, consultants and support staff, scientists and academics, policy makers. The EPALE platform includes publications, a resource library and the possibility of networking. The platform is for anyone across Europe who works or is interested in adult education. The resources of EPALE can be used to the full by users who create their EPALE account in when is registered. Ministry of Education and Science regularly supplements information in the Latvian section of EPALE.

 

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