General information

EDUCATION IN LITHUANIA - 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, drafts strategic 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 ccordance 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).
You can find further information on the Lithuanian education system in the document education_ lithuania.pdf (1.5 MB).