2022/2023 in the school year, 276 educational institutions of the Riga municipality are ready for new challenges, adapting resources and environment for the organization of a high-quality and safe learning process, providing face-to-face training, as well as offering children and young people the opportunity to participate in educational programs of interest and professional orientation.
“Preparing for 2022/2023 for the school year, the Riga municipality has worked carefully at all levels to prevent the historical injustice in the salary of Riga pedagogues, compared to the municipalities of Pierīga and other state cities. We have received a promise from the Ministry of Industry to eliminate the unfair treatment within four years – Riga is an education center, so it should also receive funding corresponding to this status. We are also making very significant reforms in the system by outsourcing security and catering services. Every cent saved in this way will remain within the system – for the education of our children and for solving the issue of the salary of our educators. We will not stop and will continue to streamline the work of Riga’s educational institutions, work more economically, so that we can motivate teachers and invest even more in ensuring the quality of education. Riga is ready for the new school year, and education will continue to be a priority of the Riga City Council,” emphasized the Chairman of the Riga City Council, Mārtiņš Staķis.
Improvement of the educational process and support provided by the municipality
In order to achieve high-quality education, the municipality will continue to provide a series of support measures in preschools and general education schools, art and music schools, as well as sports schools and interest-based educational institutions.
To ensure access to preschool education, 148 preschool educational institutions and 96 groups at schools and interest centers will operate in the capital this year. The Riga municipality has cooperation agreements with 175 private educational institutions for learning preschool education programs. This year, the co-financing of the municipality was increased and one child between the ages of one and a half to four years has 307.85 euros, while a child of the age of compulsory education has a large amount of co-financing of 229.27 euros per month. Riga municipality also co-finances private childcare providers – nannies, who receive co-financing of EUR 181.09 per child per month. A total of more than 20 million euros are paid annually for the co-financing of the Riga municipality to private preschool educational institutions and nannies.
In order to ensure a high-quality educational process and rational use of resources, measures to improve the network of educational institutions have been continued in Riga. Due to the decrease in the number of students, the Riga 65th elementary school was liquidated, and it was added to the Riga Lithuanian secondary school. Also, taking into account the analyzed data and conditions about the school’s work and the quality of education provided in general, the dynamics of the number of students over several years, the educational achievements of the students, Riga 14th Secondary School was liquidated, transferring the succession of general education programs to Riga Rainis Secondary School and Riga Reinhold Šmēlinga Secondary School. On the other hand, with the liquidation of Riga 18th Secondary School, the succession of general education programs will be ensured by Riga Raini’s Secondary School. By combining the schools, pedagogues and technical staff were offered work in other educational institutions of the Riga municipality, thus solving the issue of vacancies in schools, moreover, after the buildings are vacated, other municipal functions can be provided in them or the premises can be rented to the private sector.
At the same time this summer, the decision to rename Iļguciem Secondary School, Daugavgriva Secondary School, Riga 46th Secondary School, Riga 63rd Secondary School, Riga 74th Secondary School and Riga 85th Secondary School as primary schools was supported, while Riga 28th Secondary School was given the name of Riga Sarkandaugava Primary School.
In order to ensure the digitization of educational institutions and the introduction and learning of learning content based on the competence approach for those involved in the learning process, the Riga city municipality has allocated 1.2 million euros for the purchase of technology and ensuring its operation. On the other hand, the Riga municipality has allocated EUR 636,650 in funding for the purchase of teaching materials.
Riga municipality provides health insurance policies. Currently, a total of 12,279 employees of educational institutions receive them – teachers, preschool teacher assistants, teacher assistants, nannies, assistants for persons with disabilities, social workers, sign language interpreters, medical staff, deputy directors in administrative and economic work, farm managers, farm managers, sports complex managers , gym and field supervisors, sports instructors, hall (boarding) supervisors, assistant directors, office administrators, customer service specialists, clerks, record keeping supervisors, secretaries and personnel specialists – for a total amount of 2,619,847 euros. Policies are granted after a probationary period specified in the employment contract.
From October 1 – meals for students co-financed by parents
To relieve students, parents, educational institutions and caterers of the start of the school year with various innovations
and challenges, in September 2022, student meals will be paid for from the state and local government budget funds, as before, but parents’ co-payment will be applied from October 1. It will be administered by catering companies that have obtained the right to provide catering services in municipal educational institutions as a result of public procurement.
For 1st – 4th grade students, the cost of meals will continue to be fully covered from the state and local government budgets. Likewise, the municipal funds will fully cover the meal expenses of students whose families are recognized as poor, low-income households or families with three or more children are registered in the Riga family support register, as well as orphans, disabled people and children whose parents do not fulfill their care obligations.
A wide range of interest-based education for Riga residents
As of September 1, educational centers of the interests of the Riga municipality will open their doors, offering to get to know and choose useful and engaging lessons, inviting you to the Open Door Day events “Come and participate!”. A total of 15 events are expected in September in interest education centers throughout Riga, where you can learn singing, drawing, programming, dancing, drawing, felting, woodworking, model airplanes, orienteering, martial arts and many other activities for all tastes. More information about the Open Door Days of interest education throughout September is available on the website www.izglitiba.riga.lv.
Repair works in Riga municipality educational institutions
“This year, we have concluded contracts for the repair or improvement works of 86 educational institutions. We are aware of the huge amount of work and responsibility. Many educational institutions deserve renovation work, so we try to carry out renovation works in every sector – both preschools, general education, sports and interest educational institutions. In order to achieve the goal, criteria are set, they are also created in cooperation with the Department of Education, Culture and Sports. The main criteria are the number of children (after optimization of the schools), what kind of renovations were done previously, how much and what else is needed for the facility to be fully completed. There are also schools that have not undergone renovations for a long time; they are also our priority. All potential objects are carefully evaluated, included both in the action plan of Riga municipality and in the investment plan. All possible sources of additional funding are always considered, so one of the criteria is also the possibility of attracting the European Union fund or state co-financing,” said Dainis Locis, chairman of the City Property Committee of Riga City Council.
Construction of ventilation systems, replacement of heating system, construction of local air treatment equipment and reconstruction of heating units have been carried out in Riga 64th secondary school. A computerized control system has also been installed in the school building, which ensures air quality management – an air quality CO2 sensor and ventilation are placed in each classroom, this will not only ensure the inflow of fresh air, but also provide monitoring opportunities, so that, as a result, the classrooms are ventilated at a sufficient level.
Such ventilation systems have been built in several schools with the aim of improving indoor air quality and promoting a more efficient air exchange process. Inadequate ventilation in schools has been linked to negative health effects, including general fatigue, increased risk of infectious diseases and reduced working capacity. The issue of ventilation is made even more urgent by the virus Covid-19.
“At the moment, when we are experiencing a pandemic, war refugees and a price crisis, it is especially important to take care of a good and safe environment for every child from the age of 1.5, so in Riga we continue to invest more in education without saving at the expense of our children. Dozens of kindergartens are being renovated after many years. It is a special pleasure that this year we managed to invest 3 million euros for the improvement of outdoor spaces (paths, fences and playgrounds) in addition to indoor repairs. On the other hand, all planned effective changes in the preschool (outsourcing of catering and security) will help direct more funds directly to the support of pedagogues,” said Antoina Nenasheva, vice-chairwoman of the City Property Committee of Riga City Council.
In general, this year, repair works and area improvement works are taking place in 28 schools and 58 preschool educational institutions for a total contract amount of 19.9 million euros, of which 14.7 million are for school renovations and 5.2 million for kindergartens. A quarter of the total funding went to energy efficiency measures. These completed works are currently particularly important, taking into account the increase in energy resource prices and the overall plans of the municipality and the state in the field of energy saving.
