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This year, the Dainava progymnasium will be merged with the Šančiai multifunctional school center. This is not the first school merger in Kaunas. The newspaper asked how the educational reform was going in the city.
Connecting schools
The city council approved the merger of another educational institution. This time the Dainava progymnasium was allowed to connect to the Šančiai multifunctional school center. Although the two schools are located in different neighborhoods, according to city officials, this has no effect.
According to Ona Gucevičienė, director of the Department of Education, in Kaunas a general plan is prepared every five years, which provides the direction in which the development of educational institutions will move. The situation of the network of educational institutions is constantly monitored and evaluated, and discussions are initiated both with the schools themselves and with their communities and neighboring neighborhoods.
A representative of the municipality indicated that before making any decision on the reorganization of the schools, the local population is consulted and various scenarios are considered.
“The information available has dictated two innovations this year. One of them is to connect Kaunas Dainava Progymnasium with the Šančiai Multifunctional School Center as of September 1, with the prospect that in 2024 this institution can become a unique classical education high school.
The need to have another special education school in the city arose from two different types of primary and basic education at the level of educational institutions in different neighborhoods to ensure the continuity and sustainability of education at all educational levels. Furthermore, Dainava Progymnasium and Šančiai School-Multifunctional Center have been connected for several years by the idea of learning from each other and sharing good experiences, ”explained O. Gucevičienė.
He noted that this solution is especially important for Šančiai, as there are currently no gyms in the district.
As of September 1. The lessons will be held in two buildings, implementing programs for preschool and preschool education and primary and basic education (grades 1 to 10). Once the lyceum is up and running, students in grades 1-12 will be able to study there.
Why is it useful to combine?
According to the director of the Department of Education, the combination of the experience of the two schools would form a suitable basis for a classical high school.
“It is expected that in 2024, after the necessary accreditation stages and the approval of the specialized education programs by the Minister, another specialized school without analogues will appear in the city. Together with Vytautas Magnus University (VMU), a special program focused on language teaching, non-traditional teaching methods, such as an outdoor school, app, museum, laboratory integration. The Vytautas Magnus University Classical Education Lyceum would be the only high school of its kind not only in Kaunas, but also in Lithuania, “said O. Gucevičienė.
According to the education specialist, in order to achieve the quality and progress of education, it is planned to connect schools that meet the needs of the communities, concentrating the pedagogical potential and infrastructure for education. In other words, competent pedagogical personnel, movement of teachers between high school departments, better methodological and technological provision of the educational process for both departments of educational institutions will be guaranteed.
Photo by Justina Lasauskaitė
“The implementation of the specialized program would also maintain close academic ties with the Vytautas Magnus University. The reorganization of the institutions is expected to make high schools attractive and exclusive. It will provide integrated, modular and personalized educational services in many languages. Not only in school , but also in the laboratories or libraries of the Vytautas Magnus University ”, the interlocutor spoke about the benefits of the merger.
Exceptional training system
The transformation of the school network is a continuous process of monitoring and evaluation.
In recent years, the city council has completed a series of educational school merger processes. This, according to education experts, has not only saved administrative costs but also improved the quality of teaching.
“The reorganization of the school network is a continuous process of monitoring and evaluation that seeks to ensure that the number of different schools and the number of students attending them is evenly distributed throughout the city. This ensures easy access to education for All Kaunas residents are monitoring the positive results of such changes.
First, due to the intentional staffing of the classes, the number of vacant places has been reduced, more efficient use of facilities and funds has been made. The number of pre-school education places has also increased, so that now all children in the city can enter kindergartens, “said O. Gucevičienė.
According to her, this is only part of the daily changes in the field of education. “One of the most significant changes in the achievement of higher education outcomes in Kaunas is the expanded network of general education schools. Currently, there is a specialized school, the Engineering Lyceum of Kaunas University of Technology, which implements training programs. specialized education (primary, basic and secondary together with engineering education). There are also nine schools that apply elements of a unique pedagogical system “, said the head of the Department of Education.
He pointed out that the General Povilas Plechavičius Cadet Lyceum implements elements of the concept of terrestrial cadet education, the J.Grušas Art Gymnasium is in charge of the artistic activities of humanistic culture education. Gediminas Sports and Health Gymnasium in Kaunas acts as an ambassador for sports and health education.
The partial and total integration of students with special educational needs takes place at Kaunas March 11 Gymnasium. Another educational institution with a unique pedagogical system is the Gymnasium of President Valdas Adamkus, which implements the elements of the concept of Ecology and Environmental Technologies.
According to O. Gucevičienė, there is also a school in Kaunas that deals with Catholic education. This role was taken over by Vyturys Gymnasium after the reorganization. And Kaunas Veršvai Gymnasium is distinguished by the fact that it applies innovative methods of business education.
Specific training is also carried out at Suzuki Primary School, which applies elements of the Suzuki talent development concept in Lithuania. For those looking for a different education, the town hall draws attention to the Montesori kindergarten-school “Žiburėlis”, where the Montessori methodology is encouraged.
“With the expansion of business investments in the city, favorable conditions have been created for foreigners to come to live and Lithuanians returning from emigration to educate their children. Bilingual education (in English and Lithuanian) is being implemented at J. Dobkevičius Progymnasium and J. Jablonskis Gymnasium Last year, the program was designed for gymnasium third and fourth grade students.
Institutions already restructured
Since 2017 September 1 there were no secondary schools left in the city. As part of the reorganization of the school network, secondary schools have been reorganized into gymnasiums, progymnasium and multifunctional school-centers.
Basic schools have been transformed into progymnasiums or multifunctional school-centers.
Now there are 21 gyms in the city, ten of which, according to O. Gucevičienė, have been completely refined and the students of the first and fourth gyms are studying there. Eleven more gyms are called long. There are first through eighth grade students and four gym classes for seniors.
“These processes never occur unilaterally. When taking any initiative, we first speak with the schools, their communities and together we look for the best solutions. Of course, it cannot be that all solutions appeal equally to everyone. But we are guided by principles democratic, we listen to proposals from schools, communities and we look for the most appropriate ways to implement the necessary changes, ”explained the head of the Department of Education about the response of school communities and parents to the reforms underway.
According to O. Gucevičienė, it is not planned to implement specific changes to the school network in the future, but the situation is constantly monitored and, if necessary, it will seek and find solutions.
Photo by Justina Lasauskaitė
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