School Attendance Rises After Winter Holidays
- This report analyzes school attendance rates in Latvia following teh holiday period, based on monitoring data from select municipalities as of january 17, 2026. The data is presented...
- School attendance across monitored municipalities in Latvia substantially increased in the week following the holidays.
- Kindergarten attendance experienced a particularly notable surge, reaching 79%.
School Attendance in Latvia Following Holidays - January 2026
Table of Contents
This report analyzes school attendance rates in Latvia following teh holiday period, based on monitoring data from select municipalities as of january 17, 2026. The data is presented with verification against authoritative sources and a breaking news check.
Overall School Attendance Increase
School attendance across monitored municipalities in Latvia substantially increased in the week following the holidays. Overall attendance reached 79%, representing a 15.1 percentage point rise compared to pre-holiday levels. This increase suggests a return to regular schooling after the break.
Kindergarten Attendance Rates
Kindergarten attendance experienced a particularly notable surge, reaching 79%. This figure is 15.1 percentage points higher than the attendance rate recorded the week before the holidays. In Liepaja,kindergarten attendance was even higher,at 84.6%, a 13.9 percentage point increase from pre-holiday levels.
Municipalities Included in the Monitoring
The monitoring data encompassed 62 general education and preschool institutions across ten Latvian municipalities: Daugavpils, Gulbene Municipality, Jelgava, Jekabpils Municipality, Jurmala, Liepaja, Rezekne, Riga, Valmiera Municipality, and Ventspils. Attendance data is collected weekly, based on figures reported on Thursdays.
Context: Respiratory Illness Levels
While the incidence of flu and other upper respiratory infections is declining in Latvia, it remains at a high level as of January 17, 2026, according to data from the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC). This context is vital as respiratory illnesses can impact school attendance. The CDC’s influenza and acute respiratory infection monitoring page provides detailed weekly reports on infection rates.
Breaking News Check (2026/01/17 18:07:23): A search of Latvian news sources (Latvian Public Broadcasting, Delfi) reveals no significant updates regarding school attendance or respiratory illness levels beyond the information provided in the original source as of this time. the CDC website remains current with its weekly reports.