One-third of Lithuanians disagree with phasing out education in Russian

Over a third of Lithuanians believe that education in public schools should continue in both Lithuanian and the languages of ethnic minority communities, according to a survey commissioned by LRT.

Amid recent discussions about discontinuing secondary education in Russian, the survey shows that 34 percent of the population believe things should remain as they are – that is, Polish- and Russian-speaking communities should be able to educate their children in their mother tongue.

A roughly equal share of the respondents, 32 percent, think that all public schools in the country should instruct in Lithuanian, with additional classes of their native language for minority students.

Meanwhile, a fifth of the population thinks that education in public schools should be conducted only in Lithuanian. A small minority, 7 percent, think that education in schools should be conducted only in Lithuanian or Polish.

According to the survey, respondents with higher education and the highest monthly incomes are more likely to think that education should be in Lithuanian, while allowing children from minority communities to have lessons in their mother tongue. Lithuanians are also more likely than people of other ethnicities to hold this opinion.

Non-Lithuanian speakers were more likely to say that they wanted to keep things as they are.

The survey was carried out by the market and public opinion research company Baltijos Tyrimai between February 22 and March 5, polling 1,021 adult respondents.

In early January, Education Minister Gintautas Jakštas said that the 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 continue.

The law obliges local authorities in areas with traditionally large ethnic minority communities to guarantee education in their language if they so request.

Around 14,000 students in Lithuania are enrolled in secondary schools teaching in Russian, mostly in Vilnius, Visaginas, and Klaipėda.