Latvia's parliament has approved amendments making national defense education mandatory for all secondary school students, regardless of their learning format, starting from September 1, 2026.
On Thursday, the Saeima (Latvian Parliament) conceptually supported amendments to the National Defense Education and Youth Guard Law, which will expand the availability of national defense education to all secondary school students, irrespective of their mode of study. The bill has been marked with urgency, indicating that the parliament prioritizes this change in legislation to ensure the security education of students across different learning environments.
The amendments stipulate that the national defense education will be compulsory not only for in-person programs but also for those in distance learning and international schools. This proposed adjustment, effective September 1, 2026, aims to include students who currently pursue their education remotely, thus widening the scope and accessibility of military-related education in Latvia. According to estimates, thousands of additional students will benefit from this requirement.
Statistics from the Ministry of Education and Science indicate that as of September 1, 2025, there were 2,302 students in the 10th grade of distance education and 2,849 in the 11th grade. Additionally, there were 262 students in non-formal education programs in the 10th grade and 265 in the 11th grade at the start of this academic year. The initiative reflects ongoing efforts to instill a sense of national defense and readiness among youth in Latvia, aligning with broader national security objectives.
