It is currently impossible to guarantee the schedule for salary increases for teachers, as the budget possibilities for next year are still unclear, said Minister of Education and Science Ilze Indrikson (National Alliance) at a meeting with the Latvian Education and Science Workers' Union (LPRON).
At the same time, the politician promises to advocate for educational priorities and seek available funding sources.
LPRON promises to ensure that the priorities of the education sector are respected in next year's state budget, including the schedule for salary increases for teachers, funding for educational materials, and basic funding for science.
According to Indrikson, it is currently unclear what the budget for 2027 will look like, as decisions made in previous years have created significant challenges in planning funding for the next year. At the same time, she emphasized that funding for educational materials is available not only from the state budget but also from EU funds for municipalities, which have so far been used in relatively small amounts.
"The worst thing that can happen is if we return the money to Europe or redistribute it for other purposes," she added.
The new Minister of Education also noted the quality and accessibility of educational materials at different stages of education. In her opinion, it is important to provide traditional educational materials for younger students. In turn, for high school students, digital educational materials may play an increasingly important role, but issues of access to technology and connectivity need to be addressed.
The politician also emphasized the advantages of the planned new school funding model "Program in School," which stipulates that funding will go directly to schools rather than being redistributed at the municipal level. According to her, this could help attract and retain teachers in small schools, ensuring fairer pay regardless of the number of students in the class.
Speaking about the schedule for salary increases for teachers, Indrikson acknowledged that she cannot currently make specific promises but committed to advocating for the interests of the sector in budget negotiations. She noted that decisions will depend on the state's financial capabilities and the budget situation. The government declaration currently does not foresee new fiscally burdensome decisions for the next year; however, the minister promises to prepare the necessary assessments to promote educational priorities.
For its part, the union reminded that it agreed to a smaller salary increase than initially planned for 2025, as well as that there was no salary increase provided for this year. LPRON chair Inga Vanaga noted that in neighboring countries - Lithuania and Estonia - schedules for salary increases for teachers continue to operate under similar geopolitical conditions.
