Lithuanian Education, Science and Sport Minister Gintautas Jakštas, who earlier this month unveiled plans to phase out Russian schools, said on Wednesday that the issue “is not on the table” now.
“Closing schools with Russian as the language of instruction is not even on the table,” Jakštas told the parliamentary Committee on Education and Science. “The conditions for either teachers or students in these schools will not be worsened in any way.”
“The question is what we can do to ensure that students’ results do not differ, regardless of their mother tongue. By leaving things as they are now, we are disadvantaging students,” he added.
Jakštas said that his ministry plans to unveil its proposals for national minorities’ education next week.
“The whole community will be able to discuss and present their alternatives, and we will also organise discussions,” the minister said. “Our goal is equal learning opportunities for all children.”
In early January, Jakštas said that the Education Ministry would propose phasing out Russian schools in Lithuania. He said that schools teaching in EU languages or in those of countries friendly to Lithuania could remain open.
The law obliges local authorities in areas with traditionally large national minorities to guarantee education in the language of the national minority if the local community requests it.
Around 14,000 students in Lithuania are enrolled in basic education schools teaching in Russian, mostly in Vilnius, Visaginas, and Klaipėda.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
