Number first-graders in Latvian schools to decrease by one-third in six years - ministry

RIGA - The number of first-graders in Latvian schools will decrease by 34 percent in the next six years, according to the Education and Science Ministry's estimates based on the current birth rate data.

The ministry has developed a model of an optimal school network, which is based on demographics and the existing number of schools, the Central Statistical bureau's data on population and age structure of municipalities, teachers' numbers, and others.

According to the Education and Science Ministry, the number of births in Latvia decreased 13 percent in 2024.

The Education and Science Ministry says that from 2030, Latvia should have around 160 large high schools, of which 48 would be located in Riga.

12 municipalities have an optimum school network at the moment: Marupe, Adazi, Salaspilis, Smiltene, Gulbene, Kuldiga, Saldus, Valka, Kekava, Ropazi and Valka regions, and the City of Jelgava, said the ministry. Some of these municipalities may even have to open new schools in the future, based on the current demographic trends.

Meanwhile, Riga currently has 28 more schools than it will need in the future, said the Education and Science Ministry.

38 percent of teachers in general education institutions in Latvia are coming to retirement age in the near future. This share though varies greatly between municipalities. For example, less than 30 percent of teachers are over 55 years old in Pieriga: in Salaspils, Marupe and Kekava municipalities. In Aluksne and Kraslava, on the other hand, more than 50 percent of teachers are approaching retirement age.

The Education and Science Ministry's Deputy State Secretary Janis Paiders points out that there are systemic problems in Latvia's education system, as evidenced by students' performance in math exams, where students from Riga fared much better than students in the regions.

Schools have a duty to provide the same quality of education and therefore the same opportunities for every child and young person in Latvia, said Paiders, adding that the school network should be in line with the demographic trends and municipalities' financial means.

At the same time, the current teacher remuneration system will not ensure fair salaries for teachers across Latvia, and the current school network will face increasingly more demographic challenges. This is why the Education and Science Ministry has proposed a new education financing system, which is yet to be reviewed by the government.