STRUCTURE OF EDUCATION SYSTEM IN LITHUANIA Preschool education

STRUCTURE OF EDUCATION SYSTEM IN LITHUANIA Pre-school education kindergarten (age 1, 5 -5) Pre-primary education (age 6; one year ) General secondary education (age 7 -18) Compulsory education till 16 Vocational training Higher education ( age 18 till …. . Non-university studies at 27 colleges, or university studies at 21 university) 12 Post- secondary schools ( age 16 -18; both profession & secondary education)

General Secondary School Primary education curriculum pre-primary 1 year Primary 4 years Basic education curriculum Part I 5 - 8 grades Part II 9 -10 grades Secondary education curriculum Gymnasium 11 - 12 grades

Pre- primary education � one year education is provided to 6 -year-old children � is intended to better prepare children for school entry � education is free, it is not compulsory. Parents have the right to decide whether their six-year-old child should be educated under the pre-primary education programme or not � children attending pre-primary groups learn new skills which will be useful in school: to interact with age-mates and adults and orient themselves in a new environment

Primary education � The duration of the primary education programme is 4 years � Achievements and progress of 1 - 4 grade pupils is not assessed with marks. Assessment is based on the idiographic principle. � There are 22 -24 lessons per week for 1 st – 4 th grades � Compulsory subjects are: Religion/ Ethics Lithuanian English (start learning in the 2 nd form) Maths Nature Art Technologies (handcrafts) Music Physical Education

Basic education Compulsory basic education programme consists of two parts: Part I a 4 -year programme implemented in the 5 -8 th grades Part II a 2 -year programme implemented in the 9 -10 th grades ( or grades 1 st -2 nd in gymnasiums) Compulsory education ends with completion of basic school at the age of 16. There are two ways – either secondary school (highly motivated pupils) or vocational training school to get both secondary education and qualification.

Basic education curriculum Part I (5 -8 grades) Number of lessons per week varies form 26 in 5 th grade to 31 in the 8 th grade; � Subjects taught: Lithuanian Maths English Religion/ Ethics Nature Art Technologies (handcrafts) Music Physical Education History Computer science (5 -7 grades) Foreign languages (Russian/ German, starting in the 6 th grade) Geography (starting in the 6 th grade) Biology (starting in the 7 th grade) Physics (starting in the 7 th grade) Chemistry (starting in the 8 th grade) �

Grading System in Lithuania Usual grading system at Secondary School Level is ten-point scale Result Grade Description Pass 10 excellent 9 very good 8 good 7 good enough 6 satisfactory 5 satisfactory enough 4 weak 3 bad 2 very bad 1 nothing answered, task was not completed Fail

Examination: Progress Tests � Upon completion of the programme pupils have to sit progress tests in the 4 th and the 8 th grade � For the 4 th grades standardized Mathematics and Lithuanian language tests For the 8 th grades standardized Mathematics, Lithuanian language, Social Science ( Geography, Biology) and History tests � � 4 th and 8 th grades receive certificates of completion of the programme

After classes pupils can choose various leisure activities provided in schools free of charge majority of our pupils attend separate sports, music, art schools, choreography or children’s clubs.

Schools in Gargždai “Minijos” progymnasium “Krantas” basic school ( age 6 -14) (age 6 -16) “Vaivorykštės” gymnasium (age 16 -18)