Rinkēvičs says supportive teachers are invaluable

Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs thanked teachers for their work and urged them to seek help if they feel exhausted, LSM reported on International Teachers’ Day on October 5.

He said wise, supportive and understanding teachers were invaluable, helping children through times of change and guiding them as they look for answers to important questions. Rinkēvičs also thanked teachers who had taught adults to think and seek answers, even in very difficult circumstances.

He wished teachers strength to support children and young people when they are struggling. He urged students to focus not only on what is going wrong, but also on what they can achieve together with their teachers.

Latvia has marked International Teachers’ Day on October 5 since 2024, after parliament approved amendments proposed by Rinkēvičs. The date commemorates a recommendation on the status of teachers adopted by UNESCO and the International Labour Organization on October 5, 1966.

Latvian Radio asked people in Riga about their favourite teachers. One respondent, Gunta Grikauska, recalled a mathematics teacher who was also her homeroom teacher, saying she admired what the teacher created and did. Other respondents praised their teachers’ care for children, while one said all their teachers had been good.