Regional inequalities in access to STEM-oriented secondary education in Latvia

Education scholars and human geographers have extensively studied spatial disparities in access to secondary education, both in developing countries and in advanced economies. However, very few studies have analysed access to specific types of secondary education, particularly programs oriented toward Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM-oriented programs). This paper aims to fill this gap using rich geodata and administrative data on Latvia. An overview of the supply of STEM-related skills in the Nordic-Baltic region suggests that in this regard Latvia performs the worst in terms of both recent university graduates and working-age population in general. We show that 43 percent of youth aged 15 to 18 cannot reach a STEM program within 30 minutes by walking. Furthermore, estimates of earnings differentials by access time, between program types, and between two modes of travel suggest that children from wealthier families have better access to STEM programs. More densely populated settlements feature better access to STEM programs, as well as better exam results in STEM disciplines, while language exam results do not show such a pattern.