On Tuesday, the 18th of April, Latvia’s government approved the teachers’ pay increase schedule developed by the Ministry of Education and Science. This schedule provides for setting the lowest hourly rate for all teachers except kindergarten teachers at EUR 8.50 starting with the 1st of September 2023.
It is planned for the lowest hourly rate for teachers to reach EUR 9.54 on the 1st of January 2024 and EUR 10.35 on the 1st of January 2025.
For pre-school teachers the lowest rate is planned to be EUR 7.75 starting with the 1st of September 2023, EUR 9.04 starting with the 1st of January 2024 and EUR 10.35 starting with the 1st of January 2025.
The schedule for the increase of the lowest wage for academic personnel was composed based on the principle of proportionality for the same pay increase in the first two periods as for other teachers (except for pre-school teachers).
From the 1st of September onward the lowest monthly wage for professors will be EUR 1 982, for associated professors it will be EUR 1 587, for deans – EUR 1 270, for lecturers – EUR 1 017, and for assistants – EUR 810.
For other academic jobs the current proportional remuneration difference between posts will remain.
From the 1st of January 2024 onward the lowest monthly wage for professors is planned to be EUR 2 220, for associated professors it is planned to be EUR 1 777, for deans – EUR 1 423, for lecturers – EUR 1 139, and for assistants – EUR 910.
These wage changes are planned as separate amendments to regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers.
Additionally, in order to agree on minimal requirements for workload balancing, it is planned to work with social partners to develop guidelines for all teacher groups, support personnel included.
By the 31st of October the ministry plans to perform a full assessment of all teaching posts, except academic personnel, in order to grade administrative duties and appropriate wages.
In order to provide necessary funding between September and December, except for academic personnel, the funding estimate is EUR 9 039 833. For 2024 the estimated funding requirement if EUR 83 461 535 and for 2025 it is EUR 138 455 012.
To increase wages of academic personnel
the additional necessary funding amount for 2023 is EUR 2 821 222, for 2024 it is estimated at EUR 16 870 574 and for 2025 it estimated at EUR 18 415 333.
The government plans to approve updated regulations for teachers’ wages at the next extraordinary meeting of the government on Friday, the 21st of April.
LIZDA council, meanwhile, has plans to hold a protest on the 24th of April with a three-day strike afterwards.
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