LDDK backs centralized science exam in 9th grade
The Latvian Employers' Confederation has voiced support for the Education Ministry's plan to introduce a centralized natural sciences exam in Grade 9, saying the current minimum pass threshold has not been a good indicator of education quality.
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Kaspars Gorkšs, Director General of the Latvian Employers' Confederation (LDDK), has expressed support for the Ministry of Education and Science's proposal to introduce a centralized exam in natural sciences in the 9th grade.
Gorkšs noted that the existing minimum score threshold in centralized exams at basic education level has not served as a reliable indicator of education quality. In his view, it has often created the perception that students only need to learn the minimum amount of knowledge, rather than aim for a fuller understanding.
The employers' organization thus endorses the ministry's initiative to add a science exam to the centralized testing system for lower secondary school leavers. According to Gorkšs, supporting such an exam reflects the need for more meaningful assessment of what students have actually learned.
The LDDK's stance highlights its criticism of the current evaluation approach, which it sees as insufficiently informative. The organization has clearly stated that it backs the ministry's proposal while pointing out the shortcomings of the existing minimum threshold.
