Htqe.2025.22

https://doi.org/10.22364/htqe.2025.22 | 318-326 | PDF

The Organization of Adult Primary Education’s Second Stage in Latvia from 1918 to 1940

Vivita Ponciusa¹, Ieva Margeviča-Grinberga²
¹Daugavpils University, Latvia
²University of Latvia, Latvia

Abstract
The study on the organization of adult basic education’s second stage in Latvia from 1918 to 1940 highlights significant issues in history and education policy. During the interwar period, several attempts were made to provide accessible and quality education for adults to improve the overall educational level of society and promote socio-economic development. The aim of the study is to examine the organization of adult basic education during this period by analyzing educational institutions, their operating principles, and the political and economic context.

Through analysis of historical documents, legislation, periodicals, and secondary sources, the study identifies that several adult education institutions operated in Latvia during the interwar period, including the Latvian Youth Union Gymnasium, the Evening Secondary School of the Latvian Society for Cultural Promotion, and the State Secondary School for Adults. Despite adult education was recognized as important, it was primarily accessible to civil servants and people with higher incomes. To address this inequality, the Workers’ Secondary School Association’s Riga Gymnasium was established in 1927, offering evening classes at low costs. Following the 1934 coup, during the authoritarian regime, evening schools were strengthened in legislation, but no specific requirements for adult education were introduced. The findings offer historical insight into present-day educational challenges, especially the diminishing options for evening in-person format adult education in Latvia.

Keywords: Adult education, Evening schools, Historical development of adult education, Second stage education, Supplementary school

In: Human, Technologies and Quality of Education, 2025. Proceedings of Scientific Papers = Cilvēks, tehnoloģijas un izglītības kvalitāte, 2025. Rakstu krājums.  Ed. L. Daniela. Riga: University of Latvia, 2025. 698 p.
ISBN 978-9934-36-461-7 
https://doi.org/10.22364/htqe.2025