This country note provides an overview of the governance of the adult skills system in Latvia. It is part of an extensive review of all 38 OECD countries. The main findings across all countries are summarised in the OECD policy paper The Role of Subnational Governments in Adult Skills Systems. Representatives from the Latvian Government reviewed the country note in April and it was published in June 2025.
The role of subnational governments in adult skills systems: Latvia
Note : For more information on the definitions of the governance models, please see (OECD, 2025[1]).
Source: (OECD/UCLG, 2022[2])
The Latvian adult skills system is characterised by a high degree of centralisation. Most of the skills system, including strategic policy advice and research and management of implementation for Vocational Education and Training (VET), Higher VET (HVET), Continuous Education and Training (CET), adult education (AE) and Acitive Labour Market Policies (ALMPs), is done at the national level. Yet, the local level (in the form of municipalities) plays a role in the provision of non-formal CET and AE.
The Ministry of Education and Science (Izglītības un zinātnes ministrija) sets the legal framework, governance, funding, and content requirements for VET, HVET, CET and AE. It does so in cooperation with social partners (especially through the Tripartite Sub-Council for Cooepration in Vocational Education and Employment (Trīspusējās sadarbības apakšpadome profesionālās izglītības un nodarbinātības jautājumos) and Sectoral Expert Councils (Trīspusējās sadarbības apakšpadome profesionālās izglītības un nodarbinātības jautājumos)) and through multiple national agencies (including the State Education Quality Service (Izglītības kvalitātes valsts dienests) and the National Centre for Education (Valsts izglītības attīstības aģentūra).
VET and HVET programmes are delivered mainly by VET schools, Vocational Education Competence Centres (Profesionālās izglītības kompetences centri), and private providers operating locally but managed and funded by the Ministry of Education and Science.
While Latvia does not have a single, formal adult education system, the country has developed a robust network of non-formal CET and AE programmes that are delivered by a mix of institutions, including higher education institutions, Vocational Education and Competence Centres, the State Employment Agency, private providers (often financed by employers) and the municipalities through local education centres. Private providers must receive a license from the local government to provide CET courses.
ALMPs are overseen at the national level by the Ministry of Welfare (Labklājības ministrija) and the State Employment Agency (Nodarbinātības valsts aģentūra) (the Latvian Public Employment Service (PES)), which manages a structure of close to 30 deconcentrated local delivery offices. Labour Market Intelligence is mainly collected and analysed by the Ministry of Economics (Ekonomikas ministrija ) and the PES.
Legend: ✓ = Yes; - = No
Note: For more information on exact definitions of policy areas and responsibilities, please see (OECD, 2025[1]).
Note: Colour code: Dark blue → government/national/subnational agencies, Green → social partners, Lighter blue → private actors and education providers, Yellow → Expert councils/foundations/associations/research institutions. For more information, please see (OECD, 2025[1])
Source: OECD compilation based on available information.
The national government is in charge of drafting and partly implementing the national strategic framework for skills acquirement in Latvia:
The Ministry of Education and Science is responsible for the legal framework, governance funding and content requirements for VET and HVET and a considerable proportion of CET and AE. This includes providing VET course methods, setting requirements for degree attainment, providing financial incentives, and targeting key skills for future resilience. Furthermore, it also plays a guiding role in apprenticeship regulation and design. Operating under the Ministry, the National Centre for Education oversees non-formal education, including CET and AE.
The Ministry of Economics is responsible for conducting labour market intelligence, as well as for implementation of the Human capital development action plan 2024-2027 and coordination of the Joint Coordination Commission for Adult Education, monitoring and analysis of results of state-supported adult education supported projects.
The Ministry of Welfare, in cooperation with the State Employment Agency, is responsible for the design and delivery of ALMPs through a structure of deconcentrated local PES offices.
Social partners, especially employers’ organisations, play a central role in the skills system for adults in Latvia. They are well represented in the national Tripartite Sub-Council for Cooperation in Vocational Education and Employment and the Sectoral Expert Councils. They provide input on policymaking at the national level as well as implementation at the regional level (e.g. through VET schools and Vocational Education Competence Centres).
Legend: ✓ = Yes; - = No
Latvia's local government level comprises 43 municipalities, 7 of which are cities and 36 of which are regional municipal clusters. Municipalities play a supportive and facilitating role in the VET, CET, and AE systems. They help to ensure the accessibility, relevance, and practical orientation of educational opportunities, promoting lifelong learning and aligning skills development with local economic objectives. They also play an important role in granting permission for the implementation of non-formal education programmes according to the unified Cabinet of Ministers regulation and in offering non-formal adult education through local adult education centres in urban and rural areas.
VET is also provided at the local level by 18 Technical (vocational) schools and at VET Schools (arodskolas), Vocational Secondary Schools (profesionālā vidusskola), and colleges (koledža).
Private education and training providers provide a wide range of vocational education catered to up-skilling employees in their industries. This is often incentivised by financial schemes aimed at both workers and employees.
ALMPs are delivered through a system of deconcentrated local offices overseen by the State Employment Agency and include career guidance and profiling along with an individual job search plan, mobility support etc.
Legend: ✓ = Yes; - = No
Source: OECD compilation based on (CEDFOP, 2023[7]; European commission Eurydice, 2023[3]; OECD, 2019[5])
References
[7] CEDFOP (2023), Skills anticipation in Latvia, https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/data-insights/skills-anticipation-latvia-2023-update#_governance.
[3] European commission Eurydice (2023), Latvia Adult education and training, Main providers, https://eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-education-systems/latvia/main-providers.
[11] European Commission, Eurydice (2023), 8. Adult education and training, https://eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-education-systems/netherlands/adult-education-and-training.
[9] LDDK (2023), Social Dialogue, https://lddk.lv/en/social-dialogue/.
[8] Ministry of Economics (2023), Responsibilities, https://www.em.gov.lv/en/about-us-0.
[4] Ministry of Education and Science (2023), Responsibilities, https://www.izm.gov.lv/en/ministry.
[1] OECD (2025), “From national to local: Exploring the role of subnational governments in adult skills systems across OECD countries”, OECD Local Economic and Employment Development (LEED) Papers, No. 2025/XX, OECD Publishing, Paris.
[6] OECD (2024), Strengthening the Governance of the Swedish Skills System: Report on Relevant International Practices in the Field of Skills Governance.
[5] OECD (2019), OECD Skills Strategy Latvia: Assessment and Recommendations, OECD Skills Studies, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/74fe3bf8-en.
[2] OECD/UCLG (2022), 2022 Country Profiles of the World Observatory on Subnational Government Finance and Investment., https://www.sng-wofi.org/country-profiles/latvia.html.
[10] State Employment Agency (2024), Mission of State Employment Agency, https://www.nva.gov.lv/en/state-employment-agency-sea.
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