The government approved decision stop funding teachers’ salaries in schools with small numbers of students. The new rules will come into effect gradually.
From September 1, 2025, schools with fewer than 45 students will not receive a state subsidy to pay teachers’ salaries. And from September 1, 2026, this restriction will be extended to institutions where the number of students does not exceed 60. Instead, students from such educational institutions will be transported to support schools, which are provided with better conditions and have more teachers.
These changes will not affect primary schools: state funding for them will remain, even if the number of students is less than 45 or 60. The Ministry of Education and Science explained that the primary school should be as close as possible to the place of residence of the child, because for the youngest students, long trips can be difficult.
Funds from the educational subvention will now be calculated taking into account all school-age children in the community, but the community will not be able to spend them on the maintenance of understaffed schools. Instead, local authorities must ensure the organization of transportation of students to support schools, and during the trips children will be accompanied by a teacher.
Support schools are located at a distance of up to 30 kilometers and receive students from different settlements. They are better equipped and provided with teaching staff. To ensure transportation, the state has been allocating a subvention for the purchase of school buses for the second year.
