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Passing such a project would increase state funding for studies, but at the same time increase the cost of studies for students. The government will consider the proposal on Wednesday.
“We will not strengthen the quality of studies if the funding for studies per student is the lowest among OECD countries,” Minister J. Šiugždinienė said during a press conference on Tuesday.
According to Deputy Minister G. Jakštas, after the approval of the Ministry project, the price of some studies may increase by more than 30%, prices will change in all fields of study:
“It just came to our knowledge then. If you didn’t increase the co-financing of studies, but the costs per student were increased, the funds for studies would go down. The increases are everywhere at least a little.
The most expensive music, the pilots (studies – aut. Past) would increase by about 8 percent. In other places, it could go as high as 15 percent, to 30 percent. and many more”.
Currently, the fields of study are divided into eight price groups, of 1.5 thousand. up to 15 thousand. by year. The SMSM project proposes to redistribute the groups so that only five remain. The objective is to reduce the price differences between the different study groups, which sometimes reach up to 9 times.
“It just came to our knowledge then. {…} During the period when the study baskets were introduced, the groups were divided a lot and that division into study price groups was very unclear. That system has lost its meaning. and purpose, ”commented Minister J. Šiugždinienė.
According to the Ministry of Education and Science, the project aims to increase state funds per student, thus ensuring better quality of studies, higher salaries for teachers and researchers. Reduce the huge and unjustified differences between different tuition rates and increase funding for social studies.
From 2022 to 2027, about 35 million. increase funding for higher education.
The number of state-funded venues will change
According to data from ŠMSM in 2019, around 13 thousand were planned. places financed by the State, of which 1.5 thousand. left blank. By 2020, the number of places planned increased by almost 3,000.
According to G. Jakštas, the biggest change occurred in all three groups of funded fields, which include social sciences, business and management.
“What the system determined – many of those coming in were already students, they saw that it is possible to move from a place that is not funded by the state to one that is funded. As a result, that adherence and the statistics are distorted. {…} In these fields, employment of graduates is below average.
What we would offer this year is not planning empty seats. We would plan an admission similar to that of 2020, leaving the same number of places in all fields of study. Except in three, where there was an irrational increase, we suggest that this increase be alleviated, “explains G. Jakštas.
The total number of state-funded study sites may vary by less than a thousand from last year. It is proposed that a total of about 12 thousand. funded places in Lithuanian higher education institutions. The number of places funded in universities would not change.
According to G. Jakštas, it is necessary to increase accessibility to studies, but this should not be done by increasing the number of places funded by the state, as suggested by some student organizations.
“If you look at what is currently being studied in places not funded by the state, it is a much smaller proportion of low-income regions or families, because the current price is too high for them.” {…}
In general, the number of places allocated by the state is sufficient for the Lithuanian economy. If we irresponsibly increase that number somewhere, we create irrational expectations for those who enter and cannot work according to education ”, says the Vice Minister of Education, Science and Sports.
Suggestions were also criticized
On Monday, members of the Seimas Committee for Education and Science urgently started an extraordinary committee meeting, at which committee member Ieva Kačinskaitė-Urbonienė expressed concern about the ministry’s proposals.
“There are concerns about the current situation. During what period was it decided to increase the prices of certain studies? I understand what the situation is in the fields of study, that these differences may be too great.
Certainly, a large number of Lithuanian students and graduates choose to study in popular fields. Do we, the state, have to limit the availability of those studies? ”Asked I. Kačinskaitė-Urbonienė.
According to the Seimas member, according to the project, university studies in the social, mathematical or medical fields would cost more than a thousand. per year – or between 30 and 60% respectively. In universities, the change is around 10 percent.
The Lithuanian Union of Students (LSS) also issued a statement on Tuesday stating that students did not support the process initiated by the SMSM.
“In order to consistently increase funding per student, we must stop jumping from one extreme, in this case the idea of a free degree, which was not bad but had its consequences in another, when funding per student is increased without think about the consequences for current graduates.
It is time to stop playing with the fate of young people and undertake a fundamental but consistent change in the financing model of higher education, including the admission system to higher education institutions, instead of doing it in passing, as it is the case currently.
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