If an education institution fails to secure a number of pupils in class groups that meets the minimal number required by the Cabinet of Ministers in regulations, such an institution will still receive sate funding in the 2024/2025 school year, according to amendments to the Education Law submitted for review by the Ministry of Education and Science.
According to the new amendments, the Cabinet of Ministers has set a minimum number of pupils as prerequisites for the quality of education in the 1st – 3rd, 4th – 6th, 7th – 9th and 10th – 12th grade groups of general education programs provided by municipalities, state universities and private educational institutions, as well as the criteria for determining the schools for which the minimum number of students will not be determined.
The Latvian government together with social partners, as well as founders of education institutions will develop new prerequisites and set the minimal allowed number of pupils in class groups, as well as the criteria in accordance with which the minimal pupil number requirement will not be mandatory. The development process will take into account the recent report on the situation in Latvian schools and education institutions’ existing ecosystem.
The Cabinet of Ministers will set the criteria and the order in accordance with which the state participates in the financing of the wages of teachers employed in the primary education in municipal educational institutions, if the institution does not meet the established criteria.
If the number of pupils in the relevant class group does not reach the minimum number set by the Cabinet of Ministers, and does not meet the criteria, the salary of teachers in the relevant class group could be ensured from the budget of the founder of the educational institution in question. Municipalities will need to secure teachers’ wages in the respective class group of schools established by them in the same amount as would be provided from the state budget, if the number of pupils corresponded to the required number.
According to information from the Ministry of Education and Science, in 2022/2023 school year 63.6% of students studied in secondary schools, which make up 39.5% of all education institutions in the country. 23% of pupils studied in primary schools, which make up for 47.4% of all education institutions. The average number of pupils in education institutions also differs between types of education institutions, as concluded by the ministry.
Elementary schools have on average 212 pupils, primary schools have 187, secondary schools and gymnasiums have around 620 pupils on average.
It should be mentioned that the size of education institutions differs depending on urbanisation levels. The average number of pupils is generally the lowest in rural territories and the biggest in cities – 230 and 726 pupils per education institution respectively. 36.8% of all pupils in Latvia live and go to school in rural and less-populated areas. However, the largest number of primary and secondary education institutions are located there – 61.5% of all education institutions.
Minister of Education and Science Anda Čakša previously invited municipalities to not delay decisions on reorganisation of education institutions, because parents and society should be in the clear about the situation. The minister also stressed that IZM does not have a clear plan as to the number of schools that will need to be closed down.
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Latvian schools with below minimal number of pupils may yet receive state funding
