The number of future teachers in state-funded places is increasing. This year, there will be 838 students – 9.1% more than last year, when there were 768.
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Last year, the number of first-year pedagogy students grew by only 2.8% – from 1381 to 1419. This year, the growth is much more significant, reaching 11.2%. However, a higher number of people choosing studies alone does not answer the most important question – how many of these people will ultimately graduate, come to work in schools, and stay there.
“Growing interest in pedagogy studies is good news, but enrollment results alone do not show how many of these people will ultimately become teachers. We need to think about the entire path – from attracting applicants to practical preparation for work in school, employment, and retention in the profession,” says Laura Tilvytė, head of “Švietimas #1.”
The first problem begins during studies
According to data from the National Education Agency (NŠA), in the 2025–2026 academic year, the average dropout rate of pedagogy bachelor students was about 10% already in the first year. The problem does not end after graduation. Last academic year, 21% of graduates who completed studies in preschool, pre-primary, primary education, and childhood pedagogy did not work in pedagogical jobs in schools, 28% of vocational pedagogy graduates, and 45% of first-cycle pedagogy graduates.
According to L. Tilvytė, it is important not only to increase the number of applicants but also to answer the question of what kind of people pedagogy studies attract and how they prepare them for work in schools. In 2025, the lowest competitive score for a state-funded place in the Special Pedagogy and Speech Therapy program at Vilnius University, which received the most applications among university pedagogy programs, was 4.59. In the same university’s dentistry program, the lowest accepted score was 10.46. These programs cannot be directly compared as measures of profession quality, but the difference shows very uneven competition for study places.
“If we want more talented teachers, we need to talk not only about how to attract more applicants but also about competitive selection and training based on real practice in schools from the first years of study. A future teacher must observe lessons, work together with experienced teachers, gradually plan and conduct lessons themselves, and regularly receive feedback. This way, they not only prepare better for work but also understand earlier whether this profession truly suits them,” says Tilvytė.
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Attracting is not enough – retention is needed
Even a well-prepared young person does not necessarily stay in the profession – bigger challenges begin once they start working in schools. According to OECD TALIS 2024 data, as many as 50% of Lithuanian lower secondary teachers under 30 years old say they intend to leave the teaching profession within the next five years, while the OECD average is 20%.
“When half of the teachers under 30 consider leaving, it is a very clear signal that the problem is not only in attracting people. We need to look at the workload a young teacher receives, whether they have a mentor and a team to rely on, and the emotional environment in the school. It is very important what workload a young teacher starts with, whether they have a mentor and a team to support them, and how they feel at school. They also need to see where they can grow. Today, achieving higher qualification categories takes too long, and professional growth does not always mean higher pay. As a teacher’s mastery and responsibility grow, their pay must also increase,” says L. Tilvytė.
According to her, the first years of work are especially important. Currently, only 26% of beginning lower secondary teachers have an assigned mentor. Therefore, one of the most important decisions would be to ensure a structured introduction to the profession for new teachers during the first three years – a prepared and paid mentor, a reduced contact lesson load, and continuous professional support.
NŠA forecasts that between 2026 and 2031, the gap between the demand for teachers and the number of prepared teachers may exceed 2,500. Therefore, although the growing number of applicants is important, true success will only be clear after several years.
“Enrollment results show that interest in the teaching profession is growing. However, it is important not only to attract more people to pedagogy studies but also to ensure that they complete them, come to work in schools, and stay there. We need to understand at which stage and why people leave, what prevents them from coming to schools, and why teachers decide not to stay,” says L. Tilvytė.
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