The Latvian Child Welfare Network presented the study "Latvia's Child Well-Being Barometer 2025," which indicates that from 2017 to 2024, teenagers have significantly worsened their assessment of the school environment. No other area of life — family, friends, health, financial situation, or living conditions — has shown such a noticeable decline. The school satisfaction index has decreased from 7 to 6.4 points over seven years. Researchers note that a child's attitude towards school is most closely related to their overall life satisfaction. The second most influential factor is their own health condition. At the same time, the academic workload has increased. In 2017, 20% of teenagers reported constant fatigue and overload at school, while in 2024, this figure rose to 25%. The situation with homework has changed even more dramatically: the share of students who consider their homework excessive increased from 37% to 54%. The study also showed a deterioration in the psychological climate in schools. Fewer teenagers say they enjoy attending classes and believe that teachers listen to them and treat them with respect. Another alarming figure is that 41% of teenagers in 2024 admitted they do not know whom to turn to for support at school. This means that for many children, help from adults in difficult situations remains inaccessible or unclear. The authors of the study also recorded an increase in bullying cases and a deterioration in relationships among classmates. At the same time, there are positive changes: compared to 2017, more students report that they have time to eat calmly and actively spend breaks during the school day. Parents also confirm the problems in the education system. The most common issue they cite is the lack of teachers — pointed out by 40% of respondents. Another 27% consider the quality of education insufficient, 22% mention a lack of quality educational materials, and 20% note that the school environment remains emotionally or physically unsafe. Researchers emphasize an important feature: the data from 2017 and 2024 are based on different samples and different survey methods, so this factor must be taken into account when comparing results. The report is based on statistics, surveys of children and parents, interviews with experts, and international comparative data. Despite some positive changes, the study shows that the school environment remains one of the most problematic components of adolescent well-being in Latvia.
