[ad_1]
The draft agreement, which was seen by BNS, identifies education as a “key priority of the Lithuanian state”, sets out seven key principles of a “quality education system”, as well as 24 more specific commitments until 2024 and 2027, and indicators of success.
This agreement should be in force until 2030.
The agreement between the political parties would include commitments to decentralize education, leaving more decision-making power to municipalities, strengthening the prestige of the teaching profession and opportunities for school directors not to have pedagogical training. It is also planned to adjust the non-formal education basket by introducing it to children from the age of three.
It is also planned to guarantee equal opportunities for education, higher education for all, regardless of social status, place of residence, this would include plans to create and implement a system of lifelong learning vouchers, etc.
Final solutions are expected in the fall.
Negotiators delegated by the factions hope to reach an agreement on the text of the agreement this Friday, and more politicians should review the agreement next week, said Artūras Žukauskas, chairman of the Education and Science Committee of the Seimas and representative of the Freedom Party , to BNS.
“There is a chance that we will have something to show on Friday. I think there will continue to be a public debate as now only party representatives are participating, not even all parties are familiar with it. Then apparently there will be a second round of ‘grinding’ , after which, if all parties agree, we will present it to the Seimas for approval, “said A. Žukauskas.
According to him, the final text is expected to be adopted as a resolution of the Seimas.
Education, Science and Sports Minister Jurgita Šiugždinienė, who is coordinating the negotiations, said earlier that she hopes an agreement will be reached at the Seimas before the end of the spring session.
A. Žukauskas doubts it. According to him, considering that the spring session of the Seimas could in the best of cases be extended until the day of the coronation of Mindaugas on July 6, that is, there is less than a month left to negotiate an agreement with the parties themselves and with other interested groups.
“So if I don’t generate the first draft this Friday, I don’t think the public can react. I think it’s realistic to adopt at the Seimas in the fall, as the President said in his speech today,” the politician said.
Eugenijus Jovaiša, the negotiator for the group’s largest opposition peasant group, said it was “completely realistic” to agree on the first option on Friday, but did not rule out the possibility of
“I think we can formulate the text itself and all the points on Friday. Do I like it and does everything fit there? The text is not really bad, I will be preparing some proposals on Friday, which, in my opinion, should improve the situation, if the contracting partners agree. And if we sign, next Wednesday we are preparing for a large audience in the party and then we will decide, “the politician told BNS.
The objective is to guarantee equal opportunities
The document stipulates that equal opportunities for education and higher education must be guaranteed for all, regardless of gender, race, religion, place of residence, social status, etc., and must be provided to educators opportunities to create free, civic and critical people. , as well as their adequate remuneration, a sustainable recycling system, etc.
There is an obligation to consult with the community when making decisions, to concentrate state resources in priority research directions. Agreements on the right to lifelong learning, education based on digitization, and sustainable educational and cultural interaction are included.
Among the specific agreements, by 2024 it is planned to implement an evaluation system for preschool education programs and institutions, to create a common quality standard of general education accessible to rural and urban children, as well as to test and implement measures of education in at least five different types of municipalities and their schools – A. Žukauskas The SNB has confirmed that this refers to so-called millennium schools.
Give more power to self-government
It is also expected to present two alternatives for the final decision of the political parties on the decentralization of educational functions, granting the municipalities greater autonomy and responsibility.
In one case, it is planned to establish that municipalities could be more independent in the use of educational funds, deciding on the efficiency of the network of institutions and being responsible for educational results. The second option envisages a more cautious wording in order to grant autonomy to municipalities “at the level at which decisions are made and implemented most effectively.”
More opportunities for kindergarteners and teachers
Among other agreements, a program of initiatives to integrate cultural and artistic measures in the educational process, the implementation of a Cultural Passport in preschool and professional training and the strengthening of its services, the inclusion of information technology literacy in the preschool education, expanding the non-formal education basket and making it available to children from 3 years of age, with special emphasis on children from families at social risk.
In order to make the teaching profession attractive, it is envisaged to create the most favorable conditions possible for representatives of other professions to retrain and work as teachers, to finance the possibility for practicing teachers to acquire additional pedagogical qualifications and to create the more favorable conditions. as possible for other professions to retrain and work as teachers.
It would also be a commitment to change the procedure for the appointment of directors of educational institutions by 2024, that is, to waive the obligation to have the qualification of teacher, but to establish a period within which this qualification could be acquired by a director.
Among other things, the draft agreement stipulates that by 2027 the career stages of teachers would be linked to the requirement of higher education degrees, that is, a bachelor’s degree would be enough for a teacher, a master’s degree for a senior teacher, a master’s degree for an educator and a doctorate for an expert teacher.
Science is accessible to everyone
Beginning in 2024, the goal would also be to introduce uniform minimum entry requirements for all participants, whether paid or publicly funded, and to introduce “universally accessible” undergraduate studies open to all well-educated students who meet the criteria. established. School of general education results.
There would also be a commitment to review the funding model for the studies so that it better responds to the “needs of society and the market”.
The agreement also aims to include plans to develop and implement a lifelong learning voucher system, that is, some financial support for the learning of “a large part of society”, the funds could be used to acquire skills, improve them, learn foreign languages, etc.
Higher salaries, area financing
The agreement’s “success rates” are also expected, with the goal of increasing the amount of money per pupil per student by 2030 by 2030.
According to the agreement under consideration, teachers’ salaries should reach 130% by the end of 2024. average salary, salaries of teachers and researchers, not less than 150 percent. working salary. By the way, this is also provided for in the Government’s program and in the agreements with the educational community.
It is also planned to confirm the target of 70% of kindergartens to attend kindergartens by 2027. Children 2-5 years in rural areas, 35 percent. the number of graduates from the secondary education program would acquire a vocational training qualification, as well as the number of eighth-grade students from families with a low social, economic and cultural level would pursue higher education, and at least 70% would complete their studies . participants. Funding, applied research and experimental development (R&D) would receive 0.75%. GDP.
There would also be a commitment to create physical and virtual labs for teaching science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) in all schools by 2030, and by 2027 Internet speeds in schools to reach at least 300 mb / s .
