Scholarly record

QUALITY EDUCATION IN LATVIA AS VIEWED BY MULTIPLE STAKEHOLDERS

Aija Vanaga

Abstract

The topicality of the issue: The quality of education is one of the indicators and is a foundation of a sustainable development of the country. Therefore, the focus of attention in educational reforms in Latvia is quality education. Quality education is a dynamic concept that evolves over time and is a subject of change in line with changes of social, economic and environmental conditions. In this paper, the understanding of quality education is related to meeting the needs and expectations of customers. The major stakeholders in education include school administrators, teachers, families, parents, local business leaders, community members, and elected officials, like state representatives, city council members and school board members. Stakeholders might also include parent-teacher organizations, teacher unions, cultural institutions, media outlets, committees, advocacy groups, organizations, and local businesses, etc. The study offers the conceptual framework of quality education as an open and dynamic system that involves multiple stakeholders in the process of quality insurance. The methodology of the study: to present a broader conceptual framework of quality education with the involvement of diverse stakeholders. It was concluded that diverse stakeholders hold a different opinion on quality education. Quality education need to focus on pupils as active citizens who contribute responsibly to social, economic and political development of their community. Quality education requires the whole school approach in implementing this concept in praxis. This is required to have broader and unified understanding on quality education within local community and multiple stakeholders.

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