Feb 24 • 09:52 UTC 🇱🇹 Lithuania 15min

Vilnius has prepared a plan to strengthen Lithuanian language education for national minorities, with a focus on elementary students

Vilnius is implementing a plan aimed at enhancing the Lithuanian language education for national minorities, prioritizing primary school students.

The city of Vilnius has developed a comprehensive strategy to improve the Lithuanian language education for national minorities, specifically targeting young learners in primary schools. This initiative includes the creation of a specialized training program for teachers who instruct with a focus on non-Lithuanian speaking students and aims to increase the number of Lithuanian language classes offered in minority schools. Additionally, early childhood institutions will introduce bilingual education to cater to cultural diversity while promoting language acquisition.

As part of this initiative, the city's vice mayor Vytautas Mitalas highlighted that they have tasked educational leaders from minority communities with enhancing the Lithuanian language curriculum in primary education. Schools have responded variably to the challenge, with some reducing native language lessons to accommodate additional hours for Lithuanian language instruction. Currently, many schools in Vilnius now offer six weekly classes of Lithuanian, up from the previous standard of four or five, reflecting the city's commitment to improving language education.

The plan's implementation is expected to significantly impact language proficiency among young students from minority backgrounds, fostering greater integration and communication within Lithuanian society. Furthermore, by September of next year, the vice mayor hopes to see even more hours dedicated to Lithuanian instruction, indicating a positive trend towards achieving language education goals within Vilnius's diverse population.

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