Education and Science, Latvia

Pupils' average performance in the centralized English language exam improved by 8 percentage points from last year to 70% this year, which is the highest average score since 2009. Results in the French language exam improved from 69% in 2019 to 75% this year, which also is the highest achievement since 2009.

The average score in the German exam improved by 3 percentage points to 74%, also the best result since 2009. 

In mathematics, scores improved this year after hitting the lowest point in a decade last year. This year, the average result in mathematics was up 3 percentage points to 35%.

In physics, the average score grew from 37% last year to 41% this year, which is the best result in three years. The average result in the Latvian language exam rose from 49% last year to 52% this year. 

Meanwhile, average scores dropped in some optional subjects. The steepest decline was recorded in biology where this year's average result was the poorest since 2009. This year, the average score in the biology exam was down 4 percentage points to 53%. 

Pupils' performance also weakened in chemistry where the average score dropped from 62% last year to 59% in the 2020 exam. In the Russian language exam, the average score was down 1 percentage point to 73% and the average score in the state language exam for grade nine students was 63%. 

Pupils' knowledge of history was also somewhat worse this year, as the average score in this subject dropped from 41% in 2019 to 39% this year.