Nearly 70% of teachers in Lithuania are already using artificial intelligence in their work, according to a government-commissioned survey, as the Education Ministry rolls out guidelines on AI use in schools. Experts warn that rules alone are not enough without funding for tools and training.
The survey found that about three-quarters of teachers who use AI rely on it to prepare lessons, develop curricula or draft documents.
The Education Ministry has approved national guidelines outlining how AI should be used in schools, leaving individual institutions to develop their own internal rules. Education officials say decisions on whether and how to use AI in the classroom will ultimately rest with teachers.
“One of the main principles is that artificial intelligence should be used when it provides real added value to education,” Vice Minister of Education Jonas Petkevičius said. He added that teachers must also ensure data protection and academic integrity when using such tools.
Geography teacher Laima Lapinskienė said she uses AI sparingly when preparing lessons but expects its role in schools to grow.
“For teachers, it really is a huge help,” Lapinskienė told LRT TV. “My colleagues say it saves an enormous amount of time, and when your own ideas are exhausted, you start looking there for inspiration.”
She cautioned, however, that students often use AI without hesitation. “For children, it can be like a swamp – they can sink into it if they don’t learn to critically judge what they’re using,” she said.
School leaders say the new guidelines were needed, especially as opinions on AI vary widely within school communities.
“What worries me most is how different attitudes toward AI are,” said Rūta Songailienė, head of the KTU Vaižgantas Progymnasium in Kaunas. “We will inevitably face differing views among teachers and parents on whether AI is beneficial or dangerous.”
Experts warn that many schools may lack the resources to properly assess which AI tools are suitable.
“Teachers and school leaders will not always be able to determine whether a tool is appropriate,” said Airina Volungevičienė, director of the Institute of Innovative Studies at Vytautas Magnus University. “Schools often lack the competencies, time and financial resources to do that.”
The survey also raised concerns about how AI tools are being used. Jurgita Jaruševičienė, head of the EdTech Lithuania association, said many teachers who say they use ChatGPT are relying on non-educational versions, often without registering accounts or knowing how data is handled.
The ministry has allocated 1.7 million euros for software licenses, including Microsoft’s Copilot AI tool. Vice Minister Petkevičius said more than 30,000 licenses are available for teachers and students to use.
But Jaruševičienė said that funding covers only a small share of actual needs.
“It’s unrealistic to think that schools in smaller towns will receive licenses anytime soon,” she said. “Significant investment is needed, and in many cases one tool simply isn’t enough.”
Petkevičius said extensive training programs for teachers are planned.
Volungevičienė added that an EU-approved digital competence framework for educators should become mandatory in Lithuania to ensure consistent and responsible use of AI in schools.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
