In 2026, the Ministry of Education and Science (MoES) will continue implementing a wide range of support measures for students, teachers, educational institutions, and local governments to improve the quality and accessibility of education throughout Latvia. These activities are financed by the state budget, European Union funds, and the Recovery and Resilience Facility, with total funding exceeding EUR 258 million. Additional funding for teachers’ salaries is also planned, as the “Programme at School” financing model will be fully implemented.
A significant share of the support measures is dedicated to strengthening teachers’ professional capacity. Until 2029, the project “Establishment of a Professional Support System for Teachers” is being implemented, aiming to provide unified and coordinated methodological support to improve the quality of the learning process in both general and vocational education. Teachers have access to state-funded professional development programmes, and initiatives to attract new teachers are also underway, including the Induction Year with mentor support and the “Mācītspēks” (Teach for Latvia) programme.
Since 2025, the new teacher remuneration financing model “Programme at School” has been gradually introduced. The model provides additional funding for support staff salaries and foresees salary increases for teachers in the coming years. From 1 September this year, the model will be implemented in full. Average teacher salaries will continue to increase not only in 2026 but also in subsequent years. Additional funding allocated for the implementation of the “Programme at School” amounts to EUR 45 million in 2026, over EUR 90.5 million in 2027, and over EUR 86.5 million in 2028. The government has approved the salary increase schedule prepared by the MoES up to 2030, which aims to ensure that the minimum monthly salary for teachers reaches 2.5 times the national minimum wage.
To promote student well-being and social inclusion, an EU-funded project “School – in the Community” is being implemented with funding of EUR 15.9 million. The project aims to reduce the risks of social exclusion and early school leaving. Funding is also provided for violence prevention measures in educational institutions, including teachers’ professional development and the implementation of well-being promotion programmes.
Students with special needs have access to assistive technologies for learning support, as well as assistant services to support mobility and self-care. In 2026, funding for the maintenance costs of special education institutions has been increased.
At the same time, large-scale investments are being made in the development of education infrastructure. More than EUR 110 million is planned for the modernization of general, vocational, and special education institutions, improving learning environments, accessibility for persons with disabilities, and resources for curriculum implementation. To reduce the digital divide, EUR 39.5 million from EU funds and the Recovery and Resilience Facility is allocated to provide computer equipment and internet access for schools and learners from socially vulnerable groups.
To strengthen evidence-based education policymaking, the education quality monitoring system is being developed, and Latvia’s participation in international education studies is ensured, including PISA, TIMSS, and PIRLS. These studies allow Latvia to compare student achievement internationally and identify areas for improvement.
