Lithuanian Schools Prepare for September, but Teacher Shortages and Safety Concerns Remain

Lithuanian schools are entering the new academic year with some improvements to point to, but teachers and school leaders say the system’s biggest problems have not disappeared. They identified staff shortages, safety, pay, bureaucracy and inclusive education as continuing concerns.

The issue was discussed on Žinių radijas by Andrius Navickas, chairman of the Education Workers’ Trade Union, Dainius Žvirdauskas, president of the Lithuanian Association of School Leaders, and Deputy Education, Science and Sports Minister Jonas Petkevičius.

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I would perhaps first like to be a little happy and perhaps thank the Ministry of Education, because teachers’ voices are being heard after all.

Navickas welcomed measures including psychological support and free legal assistance for teachers, as well as progress on certification issues. But he said teachers still lacked sufficient protection and a practical way to defend themselves when workplace conflicts arise. Salary increases have also failed to meet expectations, he said. Teachers had agreed with politicians that their pay should reach 30% above the average profession, but that target remains out of reach.

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The profession should be valued at least somewhat more than the average profession, and politicians agreed that the salary should be 30% higher.

Žvirdauskas took a more positive view of recent changes, citing better school infrastructure, improved supplies of teaching materials and increased funding. He nevertheless listed teacher shortages, safety, continued pay growth and demographic change among the main unresolved issues.

Schools are already seeing fewer pupils, making it harder to form classes and ensure adequate staffing. Žvirdauskas said inclusive education has advanced, but its implementation remains incomplete because of bureaucratic obstacles and prevailing attitudes. The deputy minister said the ministry had deliberately avoided launching major new initiatives this year and promised less bureaucracy and more support.

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Teachers are simply the essence of the school.