Definition of the target group(s)

The Education Law states (Section 3) that persons: “have equal right to acquire education, regardless of their property or social status, race, nationality, gender, religious or political convictions, state of health, occupation or place of residence”.

Besides, The Law On Social Security states (Section 4) that: “persons who wishes to acquire an education that corresponds with their interests and abilities has the right to individual support for their education, if they themselves do not have access to the necessary resources”.

Specific support measures

In general, support measures for disadvantaged persons vary among adult education institutions and organisations. If adult education institution provides non-formal education programmes and work outside formal education programmes’ framework, then it is institutional autonomy to provide any special support (special teaching methods and materials; arrangements for evaluation of progress etc.) for disadvantaged learners.

Different types of support for disadvantaged learners are provided by the Social Integration State Agency. The Agency provides various education and training programmes and offers advantages for persons with special needs. Study environment is completely suitable for learners with special needs and all education programmes including driving school for persons with special driving requirements are subsidised from the state budget. Moreover, for the learners with disabilities the Agency offers vocational education and further education programmes, and free of charge career guidance and support for disadvantaged persons. Eight regional support centres of the institution offers these services more close to living places of the people.

Different public institutions and non-governmental organisations offer various kind of support for disadvantaged learners. For instance, Rīga Central Library in cooperation with Prison Fellowship Latvia has offered the librarian vocational qualification courses for prisoners.