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Lithuania: Lithuania Education Profile 2012

2011/11/11

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Lithuania Education Profile 2012

MAJOR OBJECTIVES FOR EDUCATION IN LITHUANIA BY 2012

  • Universally accessible, quality,modern education compatible with the needs of an individual as part of an open civic society and market economy.
  • All children have equal opportunities to prepare for school.
  • All children have a socially just learning environment.
  • At least 95% of children receive quality basic education.
  • At least 95% of children with basic education stay within the system of education and receive secondary education or a vocational qualification in demand on the labour market.
  • All children with special needs have an opportunity to learn in a friendly environment.
  • At least 60% of youngsters receive quality higher education.
  • At least 85% of Lithuanian population
  • of employable age have a
  • real opportunity and ability to use
  • information and communication technologies
  • (ICT).
  • The Lithuanian population have real opportunities to engage in lifelong learning.
  • Lithuania’s Long-term Education
  • Strategy by 2012, approved by the Seimas
  • of the Republic of Lithuania

MAJOR REGULATORY DOCUMENTS PROVIDING FOR LEARNING AND STUDIES
Law on Education (2003), National Education Strategy 2003–2012 (2003), General programmes and standards for attained education levels (renewed every four years), Law on Vocational Training (1997, draft law on amendments to the law is underway), Law on Non-formal Adult Education (1998), Law on Special Education (1999), Law on Higher Education (2000), Law on Science and Studies (2002).

ADMINISTRATION OF EDUCATION

The Ministry of Education and Science formulates and executes the national policy in the areas of education, science and studies, draftsstrategic education plans, annual programmes, submits proposals and resolutions to the Government, organises matura examinations, approves the general content of teaching, training and studies under the framework of formal education (general programmes and subject programmes as well as teaching, training and study plans), national standards for attained education levels (except for higher education and PhD studies), standards for vocational training, guidelines for study areas in higher education, accreditation criteria applicable to curricula and the order of accreditation, etc.


The County Manager’s Administration implements the national education policy in the county, approves strategic education plans for the county, supervises the activity of subordinate education providers, forms the network of special schools and, together with municipal institutions, ensures the teaching of learners with special needs in accordance with programmes of compulsory and general education, etc.


Municipalities execute the national education policy in the municipality, approve strategic education plans for the municipality as well as the general plan for restructuring of the school network, form the network of pre-schools, pre-primary schools, primary, basic and secondary schools, ensure the environment necessary to provide compulsory education to children, initiate the formation of the network of vocational training and adult education providers in line with the needs of the population, independently form the network of non-formal education providers, etc.
The school founder ensures the execution of the national education policy, as well as the execution within the school of relevant laws and other legislation providing for school activities, etc.
Usually municipalities play the role of the founder of schools of general education; however, non-governmental, confessional organisations as well as private individuals may also be the founders of such schools.
The founder of State-funded vocational schools and schools of general education that accept children from
all over the country is the Ministry of Education and Science.
The founder of State-funded colleges is the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.
The founder of State universities is the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania.

FINANCING

Education is financed in the form of allocations from the State budget and municipal budgets as well as other financial means. Programmes of formal education offered at State- funded, municipal and non-State funded  schools, except for higher education institutions, and programmes of non-formal education of children are financed out of the State and municipal budgets via the student’s basket, which is a principle of allocating financial means
per learner. The student’s basket contains funds to pay salaries to teachers, buy textbooks, teaching means, in-service training of teachers, etc. The founders of the school (municipalities, confessional organisations, etc.) allocate funds for school maintenance.
Non-state funded schools of traditional religious communities or associations that implement formal education programmes are financed out of allocations from the budget for teaching funds and school maintenance in proportion to the State-funded and municipal schools of the same type, if respective international agreements signed by the Republic of Lithuania provide for that.
Vocational schools, establishments of post-secondary education and schools of non-formal adult education are financed by the founders. Every year the Seimas allocates money from the State budget to Statefunded higher education institutions. These allocations are related to respective programmes and the results of assessment of activities of a particular higher education institution. Percentage of GDP allocated for education: 5.9% (2003).

LEVEL 0 (ISCED 0)

Pre-school education (pre-school and pre-primary preparatory education curricula)

Pre-school education is provided to children from the age of one to six. Pre-school education is not compulsory. The purpose of preschool education is to help a child satisfy inherent cultural (including ethnic), social and cognitive needs. The pre-school education curriculum is implemented by nurseries, nursery-kindergartens, kindergartens, kindergarten-schools and other schools, licensed freelance teachers or other education providers.
Pre-primary education is not compulsory, however it is made available by the State to all children as of six years of age (or as of five years of age, depending on the parents’ request). The purpose of pre-primary education is to help a child to prepare for successful learning according to the primary education curriculum.
The curriculum of pre-primary education is implemented by establishments of pre-school education, schools of general education, licensed freelance teachers or other education providers. The child may be educated at home, should this be the wish of the parents. The children that are educated at home are provided educational assistance, i.e. pedagogical, psychological consultations, special-pedagogical assistance and socialpedagogical assistance.

LEVEL 1 (ISCED 1)

Primary education (primary education curricula)

A four-year curriculum. According to the Law on Education, a child starts attending the first grade of primary education in the calendar year when he turns seven years of age. Upon the parents’ request, primary education may begin before the time specified above if the child has achieved the maturity required for this ki nd of education. The purpose of primary education is to provide an individual with the basics of moral, cultural and social maturity and elementary literacy.
Primary school children are not given grades. At least two or three times per year the teacher discusses the progress of learners with the learners and their parents.
The learners are offered an opportunity to choose non-traditional curricula, i.e. curricula based on Mari Montessori, Waldorf, Suzuki pedagogical systems.
Primary education curriculum is implemented by kindergarten-schools, primary and other schools.

LEVEL 2 (ISCED 2)

Basic education (basic and alternative education curricula, curricula for the stage I of basic vocational training)

Basic education. The purpose of basic education is to provide an individual with the basics of moral, socio-cultural and civic maturity, general literacy and the basics of technological literacy, to foster the intent to continue learning, etc. It is a six-year curriculum. The basic education curriculum consists of two education content concentres, i.e. concentre I for grades 5–8 and concentre II for grades 9–10. Upon completion of the basic education curriculum, the basic education level is attained.
During the second through to the sixth year of the basic education curriculum, the learners are supposed to study two foreign languages. Some schools provide an opportunity to study a third foreign language as well.
In 2003–2004, 402 700 learners studied English, 68 000 studied German and 13 000 studied French as the foreign language of first choice. Youth schools are meant for 12–16 year old adolescents that have not managed to adapt to studying at schools of general education, lack motivation or have no other choice because of the social situation that they face. Youth schools provide basic education and pre-vocational training.
Education of children with special needs in accordance with the special basic education curricula and adapted basic education curricula takes place in schools of general education.


LEVEL 2 (ISCED 2)

Basic education (basic and alternative education curricula, curriculafor the stage I of basic vocational training)
Primary vocational training results in the attainment of basic education and a qualification. Three years of training. In order to ensure continuity, schools offering primary vocational training accept those learners that have completed the education curriculum for the ninth grade. Primary vocational training is provided by establishments of vocational training.Primary vocational training resulting in vocational qualification only. Two-year training for learners over 14 years of age offered by establishments of vocational training.


Primary vocational training of individuals with special needs resulting in vocational qualification. Usually it is three-year training for learners over 14 years of age, offered by establishments of vocational training and specialised centres of vocational training (There are two such centres in Lithuania, i.e. one for mentally retarded youth and one for deaf and hard of hearing youth. In addition, there are two schools with departments for youngsters with special needs).General education of adults is offered to those over 18 years of age and younger by schools of general education that have classes for adults, by adult education entres and adult schools

LEVEL 3 (ISCED 3)

Secondary education (secondary education curriculum,stage II and III curricula of basic vocational training)

Secondary education. The purpose of the curriculum of secondary education is to assist a person in the acquisition of general academic, socio-cultural and technological literacy, moral, national and civic maturity, and the basics of vocational competence and/or qualification.
Secondary education is offered to learners that have attained the basic education level. It is a two-year curriculum with focus on profiling and differentiation of the content of education. Profiles offered are humanitarian, real, technological and artistic.
Secondary education curriculum consists of a module of compulsory education and a content of elective education depending on the chosen profile.
Learners may choose to study according to general or expanded curricula.
Secondary education is offered by gymnasiums, secondary, vocational and other schools.
Other possibilities:

  • Even out classes are designed for learners with learning and socialization difficulties that have discontinued learning under the system of consecutive studies, etc. Such classes are offered by basic and secondary schools or gymnasiums.
  • Evening classes and youth studies in shifts are designed for 16–17-year old youth that cannot study at day schools of general education due to an unfavourable social situation. The classes are offered by schools of general education.
  • Basic vocational training according to stage III curricula resulting in secondary education and vocational qualification. Three years of training designed for individuals with basic education and offered by establishments of vocational training.
  • Basic vocational training according to stage II curricula resulting in vocational qualification only. Two years of training designed for individuals with basic education and offered by establishments of vocational training.
  • Basic vocational training of individuals with special needs according to stage II curricula is offered by establishments of vocational training and specialized vocational training centres.
  • General and secondary education of adults is available to those over 18 years of age and is offered by schools of general education (in adult classes), adult education centres or adult schools.