A recent audit by the State Audit Office in Latvia has highlighted the severe inequalities in the quality of basic education across the country. While Latvia maintains a unified basic education standard with accredited schools, the volume of teaching, evaluation methods, and support systems vary significantly from one school to another. This disparity negatively impacts student learning outcomes and their opportunities for further education. As of October 1, 2025, there were over 183,600 students enrolled in basic education programs across 583 schools in Latvia, yet the funding allocated by municipalities for general education has exceeded 900 million euros in recent years without achieving uniform educational quality.

The audit revealed that the current basic education standard allows for wide variations in the number of lessons and their implementation across different subjects. For example, the number of mathematics lessons can differ by as much as 750 hours from one school to another, which has critical implications for students' preparedness for centralized exams. The lack of consistent educational quality means that some students are significantly better prepared than others, creating a divide in opportunities for academic success. This inconsistency raises questions about the effectiveness of current educational policies and the equitable distribution of learning resources.

Moreover, the audit also pointed out that the intended plans for educational delivery are often not realized in practice. This failure to implement established educational frameworks further exacerbates the inequalities within the education system. With a considerable amount of funding dedicated to educational provisions, the findings suggest an urgent need for reforms to ensure that all students in Latvia receive the same quality of basic education, ultimately aiming to create a more equitable educational landscape for future generations.