The Ministry of Education of Lithuania will continue the state programme to support Ukrainian schools and classrooms in the country.
This was announced by the Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Olena Kondratiuk following a meeting with the team of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports of Lithuania.
As of February 2024, 12,000 Ukrainian children are studying in Lithuanian schools and kindergartens. Of these, three thousand are educated in their native Ukrainian language. This became possible due to the fact that the Ministry of Education of Lithuania accredited three private Ukrainian schools, which are currently operating in Vilnius, Klaipeda, Kaunas and Šauliai and receive educational subventions for Ukrainian students from the Lithuanian Government.
“We have no intention of stopping. On the contrary, we are advocating our experience of opening Ukrainian schools in other European countries,” said Julius Lukošius, the Chancellor of the Ministry of Education of Lithuania.
“This year, Lithuania will also organise a Ukrainian national multi-subject test for school leavers so that children receive official Ukrainian certificates of secondary education,” the Ministry added.
Olena Kondratiuk, who is on an official visit to Lithuania at the invitation of the Speaker of the Seimas, Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, visited two Ukrainian schools operating in Vilnius.
“Ukraine greatly appreciates Lithuania's respect for our culture and language. Vilnius can serve as an example for other capitals that have sheltered Ukrainian women and children,” said the Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.