One of the most indicative examples is the Adazi region. In recent years, the number of school-aged children here has significantly increased due to an active influx of young families. Currently, every fifth resident of the region is under 14 years old, reports Ir. As a result, the largest school in Latvia — Adazi Secondary School, which has more than two thousand students — can no longer accommodate all those wishing to enroll. It is estimated that there is a shortage of about 170 places for future 10th graders. Many 9th grade graduates, unable to find a place in their municipality, are applying to schools in Riga. This, in turn, increases the burden on capital's educational institutions. Particularly high demand is observed in six state gymnasiums and several secondary schools in the city. Despite the government's efforts to develop vocational education, most teenagers still choose general education programs. For several years in a row, about 60% of 9th grade graduates continue their studies in secondary school. The Ministry of Education and Science believes that this figure needs to change. According to the National Development Plan for 2021–2027, the ratio between students in general and vocational educational institutions should be 50 to 50. The agency explains this position by the situation in the labor market. According to the ministry, last year about 29,000 young people aged 15 to 29 were neither working nor studying. This is approximately 11% of the youth in this age group. Although a third of these young people have only basic education or have not even completed it, the largest group — almost 36% — consists of holders of a secondary education certificate. Many of them did not enter higher education or dropped out after the first year, which significantly complicates job searching. According to Roland Ozols, Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Science, parental attitudes play an important role. In many families, it is still believed that vocational education is chosen only by those who could not enter secondary school. As a result, many teenagers go to the 10th grade, even if vocational education might better align with their interests and future careers.