RIGA, Nov 8 (LETA) - The Education and Science Ministry does not agree with local governments' proposal to reduce the minimum number of students at high schools in border regions, according to the latest version of education financing model Program School; public consultation on the model is currently under way.

The number of students will continue to be the decisive criterion in the development of the school network in the regions. Initially, the Education and Science Ministry proposed that border regions should have at least 60 students in grades 10 to 12, but in the summer it was proposed to reduce the minimum number of students in border regions' high schools to 45.

Latvian Association of Local and Regional Governments (LALRG) called on the ministry to further reduce the minimum number of students in border regions to 30 students in grades 10-12.

The proposal has been turned down by the Education and Science Ministry.

The ministry also does not propose changing the minimum number of high school students in other municipalities. The LALRG previously called for reducing the minimum number of students in a high school by 30, to 90 students.

In addition, the ministry's latest proposal states that there must be at least 15 students in grades 1-3, 4-6 and 7-9 in schools in border regions.