During the development of the 2020 budget for Latvia, parties forming the coalition conceptually agreed on an increase of wages for teachers starting with September 1, as reported by Education and Science Ministry.
To discuss Education and Science Ministry’s planned steps towards increasing teachers’ wages, minister Ilga Suplinska and ministry representatives plan to meet with Latvian Education and Science Workers’ Union.
EUR 8.2 million in total is needed to increase teachers’ wages in 2020. The government is committed to finding this money. The schedule for the increase of teachers’ wages provides for minimal wage rate (for 30 hour work week) to grow from EUR 750 to EUR 790 starting with September 1.
Amendments for specific changes to regulations may be presented no sooner than the end of May.
Considering experience from previous years, amendments are normally approved at the end of the school year, the ministry explains.
Data from the ministry shows that in most municipalities the average wage rate at primary and general education facilities, the money for which is provided from the state budget is already EUR 790 – generally this pay is present in 275 out of 589 municipal education facilities.
As for children with special needs, the ministry notes their number continues increasing in general education schools. The ministry notes there are plans to review and increase coefficients applied to calculate grants for inclusive education. At the same time, to achieve a rational use of funding for teachers, the ministry also considers distributing funding to support children with special needs more accurately.
The indicative teachers’ wage increase schedule was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers on January 15, 2018, so far the planned wage increase had been provided. (BNN/Business World Magazine)