Latvian education system is generally ready for new school year - Education and Science Ministry

RIGA - The Latvian education system is ready for the start of the new school year 2025/2026, Education and Science Ministry's State Secretary Janis Paiders told journalists on the eve of the new school year.

He noted that there are more than 1,200 educational institutions in the country. While some schools "may face bigger or smaller challenges", most of them will be ready to receive pupils on September 1.

The ministry promised to provide precise information on the number of pupils in the new school year at the end of September. However, no significant changes are expected this year, as demographic trends will only affect the number of pupils in the coming years, Paiders said.

Last school year, almost 420,000 pupils were registered in the Latvian education system, half of them in general education institutions, according to information provided by the ministry.

Education and Science Minister Dace Melbarde (New Unity) said that the education sector faces a number of major challenges related to security, austerity measures and the digital shift.

She pointed out that new programs need to be developed in cooperation with universities and vocational institutions to prepare specialists for both the defense sector and the digital transition, including the use of artificial intelligence.

The ministry also promises to pay special attention to technology solutions in the education administration, for example to facilitate secondary school enrolment. However, the introduction of information technology systems in the public administration is not easy, the minister admitted, adding that this is where she is most concerned.

The new school year will also see the launch of the Program at School funding reform, focusing first on support staff in educational institutions. According to Melbarde, the challenge is not only the distribution of funding, but also attracting specialists.

The Program at School model promises to be fully implemented in September 2026. The reform foresees that the state will fully fund teachers' salaries in schools that meet the criteria set by the government. The Saeima is expected to decide on amendments to the Education Law, which will delegate to the government the right to set these criteria, in the second reading in September.