V. Benkunskas stated that schools in Vilnius have the discretion to decide their start times, rejecting the need for a mandatory municipal decision regarding a unified schedule.
V. Benkunskas, a member of the Vilnius education sector, addressed the ongoing conversation regarding school start times, stating that the decision rests solely with individual schools. He pointed out that most schools open at 8 AM and indicated he has no intention of enforcing a mandatory start time such as 9 AM or 8:30 AM, deeming such regulations unnecessary. This is a recurring topic that emerges every few years, indicating the ongoing debate on educational scheduling.
In addition, Benkunskas highlighted the autonomy of private educational institutions, which operate independently of municipal regulations. This suggests that while public institutions will follow local discretion, private schools maintain the liberty to determine their hours based on their operational structures, which might differ from public expectations.
The issue has gained some legislative attention, as noted by a proposal from Liutauras Kazlavickas, the vice-chairman of the Seimas Committee on Education and Science, who called for discussions with relevant ministries about potentially allowing high school students to start later. He also suggested that schools adopt a flexible model where different groups of students could have staggered start times, indicating a push towards more adaptable education frameworks.
