Bārbeles school faces teacher pay shortfall under new funding rules

Bārbeles primary school has no state funding to pay teachers after a misunderstanding over the new minimum enrolment rules, Latvian public broadcaster LSM reported. The school has 17 pupils, while the funding model requires at least 15 in each of three grade groups.

The new rules apply from September 1. Schools must have at least 15 pupils in grades 1 to 3, 4 to 6 and 7 to 9. Bārbeles has 17 pupils across the whole school, leaving it below the 45 needed to meet the criteria.

Teachers have been told they will not receive salaries for their work in September. The school must make its next payments on October 10, but its deputy head and mathematics teacher, Kristīne Ruļuka, said it had no money to do so.

The school is a private institution run by the Christian-oriented foundation Saknes un spārni in Bauska municipality. Its pupils come from several municipalities, and most stay overnight. Parents contribute 60 euros a month, while teachers’ salaries are paid from state funding.

Some pupils said they found it easier to learn in the school’s small classes. Ieva Apfelberga, a parent and German teacher at the school, said staff had been warned that salaries might be reduced, but not that funding could be stopped altogether.

The Education and Science Ministry said the new teacher pay model was developed over several years with experts and social partners, and approved by the government in April. The school’s management had been informed about the new criteria.