Liepāja Has Become the Dubai of Education — Children Travel from All Over Latvia to Study There Like It's a Holy Site

While Rīga school principals are calculating how many children they can cram into one classroom, Liepāja has quietly become an educational eldorado. It turns out that 441 children from other municipalities specifically travel to study in Liepāja, as if there's some special fountain of knowledge between Karosta and the harbor.

"We've long known that Liepāja's schools are the best," says Renāte Meļķe from the Education Department, "but now statistics confirm it too." The most — 303 students and 45 kindergarteners — come from South Kurzeme region, apparently tired of rural tranquility and craving city dynamics. Even from Rīga itself, 21 students have chosen Liepāja, which is practically sensational.

Of course, there's also reverse flow — 494 Liepāja residents study elsewhere, mainly in South Kurzeme region. "Some parents think children will be calmer in the countryside," explains local teacher Ilze, "but I'd say — where else will a child learn to live with tram sounds and harbor aromas?"

Most interesting are the payments — municipalities settle 68.35 euros monthly for each student, but 348.92 euros for each kindergartener. This means Liepāja will earn 265,000 euros annually from this educational tourism. As Liepāja merchant Valdis says: "Finally our city has also become an export product!"