Narva's shrinking population forcing more kindergartens and schools to close
Narva's population fell by nearly 1,000 last year, pushing leaders in the northeastern border city to plan more school and kindergarten closures as enrollment drops further.
The impact is clearest in early childhood education. Around the turn of the century, Narva boasted 25 kindergartens; today, only ten remain.
The number of kindergarten-age children in town has fallen from about 3,000 to 1,700 over the past 25 years, and the decline is accelerating. Enrollment dropped by 120 children last year alone, with forecasts pointing to a further drop of about 200 next year.
City officials say the trend is outpacing earlier projections, forcing another round of cuts to the municipal education system.
"We're already talking about this and clearly see the need," said Larissa Degel, head of Narva's Culture Department, which oversees education.
She said data from city schools and kindergartens show the decline continuing year after year. "Unfortunately, this trend is not changing," Degel said, adding that the city is now analyzing its options and drawing up proposals.
How many more schools or kindergartens may close remains undecided. Degel said any closures would require changes to Narva's municipal education development plan, with proposals drafted by the city government and final approval left to Narva City Council.
At the school level, some decisions are already set.
City councilmember and Education Committee chair Denis Larchenko, said plans are in place to merge three schools under one roof by 2028, with construction of a new school building already underway.
Kindergartens, however, remain a tougher political question.
"It's clear we can't move forward with the infrastructure we have now," Larchenko said, pointing to staffing costs and limited city finances. Teachers, support staff and specialists all need to be paid, he said, and "the city budget isn't made of rubber."
While optimization is unavoidable, he added, decisions on what exactly to merge or close still lie ahead.
For any closures to take effect as early as this fall, Narva City Council would need to approve changes to the city's education development plan by April 1.
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Editor: Mirjam Mäekivi, Aili Vahtla
