What distinguishes children in private schools? The Minister firmly rejected the demands of private schools 0 131

The Minister emphasized that all schools should be funded according to uniform and fair principles. "What distinguishes children in private schools from children in municipal schools?" asked Melbarde.

Commenting on the argument of private schools regarding inclusivity, the minister noted that children with special needs are supported not only in private schools. There are more than 8,000 such children in municipal schools, while in private schools, there are 96, most of whom study at the Valmiera Green School, the minister pointed out.

"We need to work to ensure that all children feel comfortable in any school," she emphasized.

In addition, a three-year transitional period is provided for private schools to implement the new requirements, the politician explained.

According to her, after the transitional period, she would like to see more active participation from municipalities in matters regarding the approach to school funding. She also expressed a desire for each municipality to define the niche that each school occupies within the respective community as part of its educational ecosystem strategy.

"In dialogue with municipalities and private schools, we will be able to conclude whether there are schools that require a special approach," said the minister.

Melbarde reminded that the new funding model already provides the possibility of creating classes with up to six children if they include children with special needs, and if such students make up more than 50% of the school, quantitative criteria do not apply at all.

The new funding model provides additional support for children with special needs, and it is equally offered to both private and municipal schools, the minister explained.

As reported earlier, the Latvian Association of Private Schools is considering appealing to the Constitutional Court to challenge the norm proposed by the Ministry of Education and Science (MES) in the amendments to the Education Law regarding the criteria for student numbers, which will determine the provision of state funding under the new teacher salary model "Program in School," the association informed the LETA agency.

The association calls for establishing criteria for private schools based on class groups that are two to four times lower than those proposed by the MES.

According to the MES proposal, private schools in cities and densely populated areas should have 120 students in groups 1–3, 4–6, 7–9, and 10–12. The association disagrees with this, emphasizing the potential "huge" investments in infrastructure for expanding facilities, which educational institutions may not be able to finance.

The association also advocates for applying the same criteria for allocating subsidies for teacher salaries to private schools as to alternative education institutions and schools based on state universities: 30 students in groups 1–3, 4–6, 7–9, and 60 students in group 10–12.

The association also supports maintaining funding for those private schools that meet certain quality criteria, for example, those that operate under licensed and specially developed author programs.

The association emphasizes that its position has not been heard so far. In its opinion, the MES plans to impose requirements that Latvian private schools will not be able to meet, and in the future, the quality of education will be assessed mainly by quantitative indicators.

According to the association's estimates, the proposed MES amendments to the Education Law regarding the implementation of the "Program in School" could affect more than 18,000 children and also impact their parents' opportunities to receive primary or secondary education in one of the private schools in Latvia.

The association also outlined its objections in a letter to the members of the Saeima, urging parliamentarians not to vote for the state budget for 2026.