In a few years at least 6,000 will be laid off

RIGA - The number of teachers in Latvia will have to be reduced by at least 6,000 in the coming years, because the state cannot afford to have 28,000 teachers in the country, Education and Science Minister Roberts Kilis said at a meeting with the heads of regional education boards on Jan. 4, reports LETA.

The minister emphasized that during the reform of the education system, the organization of the education process would have to be optimized as well as the material and technical basis of educational institutions. This will make it possible for schools to save money that they could use to raise teachers' salaries.

The total amount of state budget subsidies for schools this year is 5.5 million lats (7.8 million euros) smaller than in 2011, which is due to the reducing number of pupils and students in Latvia.