Preschool education is compulsory in Latvia. It is aimed at facilitation of the child’s general development and preparation of the child for the primary school. In Latvia, preschool education programmes are provided by kindergartens and schools. These educational institutions may be both municipal and private. For children with special requirements preschool education is provided at special preschool educational institutions.
The children in Latvia acquire compulsory preschool education at the ages 5 and 6, although one can start attending a kindergarten much earlier – at the age of 1.6 years.
Provision of municipal preschool educational institutions or kindergartens is the responsibility of the municipality in which you live. Education is free of charge in these educational institutions, but parents have to cover the catering costs (the catering fee is 1.3 – 2.1 EUR per day). In order to attend a kindergarten or another preschool educational institution you have to go to the preferred kindergarten or school and:
· submit a copy of the child’s birth certificate;
· submit a statement of the declared place of residence;
· present the parent’s passport.
A child may be also electronically enlisted in the queue free of charge in the portal E-Riga (in Latvian) where one can also follow how the queue advances. Sometimes a child is accepted at the municipal kindergarten two to three years after the application therefore it is advisable to enlist the child with a kindergarten immediately after the child’s birth.
Children may also acquire preschool education in private preschool educational institutions in Latvia. The queues for attendance of private preschool educational institutions are not long. The fee for attendance of a private preschool educational institution, however, is about 300 – 400 EUR per month, including catering. Information on private kindergartens in Riga is available here.