New school year begins in Latvia with around 19,000 first-graders

Latvia's general education institutions will enroll around 224,000 students in the 2026/2027 school year, including about 19,000 first-graders and 2,500 children of Ukrainian civilians, according to preliminary data from the Ministry of Education and Science (IZM). Roughly 26,000 teachers will provide instruction across 455 municipal schools, 37 special education institutions and 72 private schools. Vocational education enrollment is expected to remain steady at around 28,000 students, with about 10,000 starting their first year at 53 vocational institutions.

Changes for the new year

Starting September 1, mobile phone use will be restricted throughout basic education, allowed only with a teacher's permission. Education documents, including certificates and diplomas, will now be issued electronically, though printed copies will still be available. A new teacher salary financing model, "Programma skolā," will be fully implemented.

The ministry has named strengthening students' core skills — reading literacy, science, numeracy and digital skills — along with school safety and civil protection as priorities. Monitoring tests are planned for grades 3 and 6 to identify areas needing extra support earlier. Teachers will have access to training on using artificial intelligence in lesson preparation, and new teachers will receive mentor support.

Municipalities are receiving 43.8 million euros for improving school infrastructure across 27 local governments, while more than 26 million euros is being invested in modernizing vocational institutions.

Possible changes to exams

The ministry is also advancing changes to student assessment and centralized exams, with a final decision expected at a Cabinet of Ministers meeting on September 1. Plans include giving students in every subject at least one chance to improve their summative grade during the year. For ninth grade, officials are considering dropping the minimum percentage threshold in centralized exams as a requirement for obtaining a basic education certificate, while introducing a new science exam. For secondary school, students may no longer be required to take at least one advanced-level centralized exam. The pace of these reforms has previously drawn criticism from a teachers' union.

Separately, the Transport Ministry and the Road Traffic Safety Directorate (CSDD) are urging extra caution for children's road safety, as September brings heavier traffic and more students out walking, cycling or using public transport. So far this year, 352 children have been injured in road accidents.