Bauska school management resigns as reorganisation decision is delayed

The management of Bauska City Basic School has submitted its resignations less than a month before the new school year, LSM reported, citing Zemgale Regional Television. The school’s director said the management could not see how the institution could continue operating under the municipality’s plans.

The resignations come as Bauska Municipality reorganises its school network. Schools that do not meet state funding criteria have until the end of the year to fulfil conditions that could allow them to avoid reorganisation.

The municipality had planned to reorganise Bauska City Basic School this year by merging it with a secondary school. That decision has now been postponed, and the municipality is looking for a new school head. Classes at the basic school will begin on September 1.

The school had been given until December 31 to demonstrate that it could meet the municipality’s conditions and continue operating as an independent legal educational institution. One condition was to develop special education provision, while another was to reach the required number of students.

“We understood that the municipality had a different vision and perspective. We faced constant changes to decisions, a lack of communication, and even great disrespect and public humiliation. Therefore, we simply decided that we could not see how we could ensure that this school would continue to exist,” director Evita Zeltiņa-Kļaviņa said.

Along with the director, both deputy heads and the school’s administrator submitted their resignations. One of the deputy heads had worked at the school for 39 years.

Zeltiņa-Kļaviņa said one of the municipality’s requirements for the school to retain its current status had already been met. The school had 271 students and 35 teachers during the current academic year, with about one-fifth of its students experiencing various learning difficulties. Teachers are concerned about how the planned changes could affect them.