The 'Black List' for Children and Educators: How Schools and Kindergartens Were Closed in Riga

Moreover, this time two opposition members hesitated at the last moment and for some reason did not press the voting button. I will not name them here; they are very well-known – although perhaps this is just a technical difficulty of the remote meeting... Those who are particularly interested can look it up on the Duma's website.

Your Opinion Is Not Interesting to Us

The document RD-26-640-lp, which was presented for consideration by the Chair of the Committee, Laima Geikina ("Progressives"), was modestly titled: "On Measures to Improve the Network of Educational Institutions of the Municipal Government of the City of Riga."

Before the meeting began, there were several requests. Firstly, the Zilbīte preschool institution wanted to speak. Parent representative Vitaly Anisov was going to present 2,638 signatures collected in support of this institution, located in Kengarags and specializing in teaching children with speech problems. The majority of deputies refused.

Similarly, the "people's representatives" did not wish to listen to representatives from Kindergarten No. 7 (Ludzas Street, Latgale Suburb) and Kindergarten No. 232 (Augusta Dombrovska Street, Vecmilgravis). The latter also collected 2,007 votes against closure on the ManaBalss.lv platform. But the coalition is not interested. A similar "no" was said regarding the speeches of interested deputies who are not part of the relevant committee.

Mass Liquidation of Schools

The "black list" was prepared by as many as 22 officials, and no one hesitated. The acting director of the Department of Education, Culture, and Sports, Ivars Balamovskis, personally approved it. Also in this list of responsible ladies and gentlemen, you can see the head of the Legal Department of the Riga City Council, Natalia Bulgakova; the head of the Legal Control Department, Zane Kalniņa; and the head of the Financial Department, Maris Skujiņš. Great specialists in pedagogy!

So, here are those who will not start the new 2026/2027 academic year. We quote:

• "Liquidate Riga Primary School No. 74, merging it with Riga Secondary School No. 64…

• Liquidate Riga 1st Christian Primary School, merging it with Riga Secondary School No. 6…

• Reorganize Riga Rinu Secondary School and Riga Secondary School No. 31, merging them and… creating a new educational institution at 11 Skuju Street in Riga, named – Riga Vecmilgravis Secondary School…"

In addition, the deputies were asked to vote on the wording: "Establish that in 2027 the following will be merged:

• Broce Lyceum with Riga Sarkandaugava Primary School,

• Gailezers Primary School with Riga Mezciems Primary School,

• Rainis Secondary School with Valodiņa Primary School.

Establish that in 2027 the improvement of the network of educational institutions in the vicinity of Bolderaja, Daugavgriva, and Kengarags will be assessed."

That is, it is clear that at this stage, the liquidation of schools will not stop – more will be closed. By the way, for those who did not know – Broce Lyceum is the former Pushkin School. A kind of elite, experimental educational institution, shining with talents in the 1990s and 2000s. And now, first, it is deprived of its Russian name, and now it is being merged altogether…

Who Is Cutting Down the Gardens?

Next follows the martyrdom of preschool institutions in the capital, at the end of which stands the signature of the mayor, Viesturs Kleinbergs ("Progressives"). The very same father of many children and former social worker, who was praised upon his appointment – they said his heart is in the right place.

By September 1 of this year, it is proposed:

• Liquidate Riga Preschool Educational Institution No. 8, transferring the implementation of educational programs to Riga Preschool Educational Institution No. 197 (Daugavgriva).

• Liquidate Riga Preschool Educational Institution No. 232, transferring the implementation of the educational program to Riga Preschool Educational Institution Rūķītis (Vecmilgravis).

• Liquidate Riga Preschool Educational Institution Liepiņa, transferring the implementation of the general education program to Riga Preschool Educational Institution No. 169 (Sarkandaugava).

• Liquidate Riga Preschool Educational Institution No. 81, transferring the implementation of the educational program to Riga Preschool Educational Institution Kamolītis (Ilguciems).

• Liquidate Riga Preschool Educational Institution No. 172, transferring the implementation of the educational program to Riga Preschool Educational Institution No. 173 (Kengarags).

• Liquidate Riga Preschool Educational Institution No. 125, transferring the implementation of the educational program to Riga Preschool Educational Institution No. 229 (Latgale Suburb).

• Liquidate Riga Preschool Educational Institution No. 7, transferring the implementation of the educational program to Riga Preschool Educational Institution No. 41 (Latgale Suburb).

• Liquidate Riga Preschool Educational Institution No. 104, merging it with Riga Preschool Educational Institution Kurzeme (Imanta).

• Liquidate Riga Preschool Educational Institution Margrietiņa, merging it with Riga Preschool Educational Institution Kamenīte (Imanta).

• Liquidate Riga Preschool Educational Institution Zilbīte, merging it with Riga Preschool Educational Institution Dzintariņš (Kengarags).

…Here, the stampede of thought of the authors is revealed by the following wording: the new kindergarten "ensures the continuity of general education programs" from the closed one. However, as already mentioned above, Zilbīte implements special, speech therapy programs! Who will now teach according to them – silence. And further:

• Reorganize Riga Preschool Educational Institution No. 44 and Riga Preschool Educational Institution Grizinkalns, merging them at 13A Varna Street. The new institution will be the "successor of obligations, requirements, financial resources, supplies, and long-term investments" of the closed one, "as well as material and non-material values."

• Reorganize Riga Preschool Educational Institution No. 132 Ieviņa and Riga Preschool Educational Institution Sprīdītis, merging them and creating a new preschool educational institution at 16 Parslas Street in Riga, named – Riga Preschool Educational Institution Pumpuriņi. This is Agenskalns, and apparently, the officials worked creatively to assign the most poetic name for the creative class district…

• Reorganize Riga Preschool Educational Institution No. 124 Dzērvenite and Riga Ziepniekkalns Preschool Educational Institution, merging them to create a new preschool institution at 7 Svetes Street, naming it – Riga Preschool Institution Ziepniekkalns. Well, this turned out to be quite succinct.

• In addition, it is proposed to establish that in 2027, Riga Preschool Educational Institution Imanta will be merged with Riga Preschool Educational Institution Dardedze, "assessing the proposal for special preschool education programs in the vicinity of Imanta."

All this chaos, let us note, will not be at the expense of the Duma: "Establish that the expenses related to the liquidation and reorganization of the educational institutions mentioned in the decision will be covered by the financial resources of the respective institutions." That is, debts and problems – do not worry.

And at the same time, they will get rid of the directors: Kuzmina, Gornyak, Alimova, Lebedeva, Shkolnikova… The direction of thought is clear?