A long-term solution to improve air quality in educational institutions has not yet been created. Consequently, the State Audit Office of Latvia closes the recommendation made to the Ministry of Education and Science in the financial audit as not implemented. The invested 4.3 million euros have remained without the expected result.
In 2022, more than 13,000 air quality meters were purchased for 4.3 million euros from the state budget for installation in educational institutions and social care centres. It was planned to collect and analyse air quality data regularly for three years. However, with the expiration of the agreement in December 2024, the Ministry of Education and Science provides a monitoring system for this data no longer. Consequently, comprehensive air quality measurements are no longer obtained and analysed. Currently, the quality of air in the learning environment depends on the goodwill, responsibility and financial capabilities of each school and its founder.
“The risk indicated in the audit has come true: the state invested with a noble goal a couple of years ago by purchasing meters to improve air quality, but the government did not think about how the purchased measuring devices would be used in practice in the long term. In addition, the meters themselves did not improve air quality, so a clear plan was also needed on what to do if the measurement showed poor air quality. Did millions have to be spent on understanding that rooms need to be ventilated?” indicated Ms Maija Āboliņa, Council Member of the State Audit Office of Latvia.
Initially, the purchase of the meters was carried out to address insufficient air quality and reduce the impact of the consequences of COVID-19 on the opportunities of students to obtain education and facilitate the return of students to the in-person learning process. However, the State Audit Office of Latvia stresses that air quality is important not only during the pandemic, but every day when children and teachers are in a classroom. The Health Inspectorate of Latvia also emphasised in its 2023 study on the environmental quality of educational institutions that it was important to prevent students and teachers from staying in rooms where the CO₂ level exceeded 1,000 parts per million (ppm) because the cognitive abilities of children and teachers such as attention, perception, problem solving, creativity deteriorate with a prolonged elevated CO₂ concentration in the room. The study showed that this limit was not exceeded in only 17% of classrooms.
Still, at the beginning of 2025, the Cabinet of Ministers recognised the previously given task to elaborate binding requirements regarding air quality in educational institutions and assess air quality regularly as no longer relevant by arguing that: (1) air quality requirements were only recommendatory; (2) the only thing that could be done in many educational institutions was to ventilate the rooms during classes as much as possible and to ensure that the optimal number of students for the space was not exceeded.
“We call on the Ministry of Education and Science and any other state institutions to consider what practical benefit they will have in the long term more carefully in the future when making investments,” outlined Ms Āboliņa.
About the State Audit Office of Latvia
The State Audit Office of the Republic of Latvia is an independent, collegial supreme audit institution. The purpose of its activity is to find out whether the actions with the financial means and property of a public entity are legal, correct, useful and in line with public interests, as well as to provide recommendations for the elimination of discovered irregularities. The State Audit Office conducts audits in accordance with International Standards of Supreme Audit Institutions of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions INTOSAI (ISSAI), whose recognition in Latvia is determined by the Auditor General. Upon discovering deficiencies, the State Audit Office of Latvia provides recommendations for their elimination, but it informs law enforcement authorities about potential infringements of the law.
Additional information
Ms Gunta Krevica
Head of Communication Division
Ph. 23282332 | E-mail: Gunta.Krevica@lrvk.gov.lv