As stated in the press release issued on Thursday, from this academic year the number of state language lessons is increased without reducing the time allocated for other subjects.
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This means that primary school students studying in national minority schools will have seven Lithuanian language lessons per week.
This change was introduced by the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport (ŠMSM) after adjusting the general education plans of primary, basic and secondary education programs for the 2026–2027 academic year.
As BNS wrote, the Lithuanian Supreme Administrative Court (LVAT) recognized in January this year that the regulation in force in the primary classes of national minority schools, where Lithuanian language lessons are fewer than native language lessons, contradicts the Education Act.
According to the regulation in force until now, primary school students in national minority schools had five Lithuanian language lessons and seven native language lessons per week.
At the same time, primary school students in Lithuanian schools had eight Lithuanian language lessons per week in the first years of study and seven lessons in the second to fourth years of study.
After the mentioned LVAT decision, the Minister of Education Raminta Popovienė said that the biggest challenge is to reconcile the hygiene standards that determine the number of hours a student can spend at school.
R. Popovienė also said that the corrections will affect about 8,000 students.
In addition, the education plans for the 2026–2027 academic year more precisely regulate the organization of education during the period of state maturity exams in the III and IV gymnasium classes.
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It is planned that lessons organized according to the schedule are dedicated to reviewing and consolidating knowledge and skills. A student may not attend lessons and consultations one day before taking the first part of the state maturity exam.
Also, in the III and IV gymnasium classes, the mandatory social-civic activity volume has been reduced from 70 to 40 hours over two academic years.
According to ŠMSM, these decisions will help gymnasium students plan their time more effectively during the assessment period and more easily coordinate mandatory activities with the daily lesson schedule.
In addition, according to the updated education plans, next academic year students’ Christmas holidays will start two days earlier than last year – on December 21. The duration of the holidays will remain the same.
The ministry noted that the number of education days does not change because of this.
According to the primary education program, students will study for 175 days, according to the basic education – 180 days, according to secondary education in the III gymnasium class – 180 days, and in the IV gymnasium class – 170 days.
The education plans also include a provision obliging the school to familiarize parents or guardians with the individual education plan of a student with special educational needs.
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