2021

Transition to online learning. From the 15th of December 2020 the quarantine requirements were increased: only grocery and basic goods stores were open and services that took less than 15 minutes were permitted. People were not allowed to meet up and movement within the country was restricted. These new restrictions also affected general education – students were sent on early Winter (Christmas) holidays. With the resumption of school after the holidays students continued to study remotely. Only students whose parents are legally allowed to work in the workplace and cannot take care of their children were allowed to attend school in person. While these children were supervised at school, they attended lessons online along with their classmates. If provided, non-formal education of children also continued online. Children who attend special schools and special classes in general education schools (that is, a school / class for children with high and very high needs) were educated in their schools (contact education), with strict adherence to safety requirements.

Safe return to learning according to the primary education programme. On the 22nd of February 2021 students returned to education at Vilnius Duke Gediminas pre-gymnasium. The return to education model was prepared in conjunction with health professionals and tested in this pre-gymnasium’s primary classes. Four days before returning to education, lateral flow antigen testing[1] was carried out for elementary teachers and their families. Three days before returning, lateral antigen testing was carried out for students and their families. If their test results were negative, they returned to contact education from the 22nd of March. Anyone who had a positive test result from the lateral antigen tests was tested with RT-PCR tests for COVID-19 infection. A positive result meant that the student/teacher and his/her family had to isolate for 14 days. School staff was then tested regularly on a weekly basis using the lateral antigen tests, where five test samples were pooled. Students are also tested periodically. After the first test, staff and students’ families are no longer tested. This experiment lasted for a couple of weeks and as it was seen to be successful, Vilnius city (the capital) was allowed to bring other primary school students back to schools using the same “safe return” model. It is important to note that this kind of returning to school has to be approved by school staff and the majority of the school’s parents, who all must agree to be tested. In some municipality schools that offered such testing to ensure a safe return to school, parents have refused to return, citing fears about the safety of the tests; arguing that children achieve better educational results from being educated at home, and so on.

If a municipality’s epidemiological situation was considered normal, the return to primary education was permitted without testing, but it is suggested that this testing model be used on a voluntary basis. In those municipalities where the epidemiological situation is poor or deteriorating, contact teaching in primary schools is only permitted if the school implements the “safe return” model described above.

In Lithuania, the rate of COVID-19 differed in the various parts of the country. The intensity rate is assessed by considering the 14-daysincident rate per 100,000 population, the positivity rate and the number of Covid-19 patients in hospital. According to these parameters, a “green” situation was achieved in one municipality in March, when the number of cases and the positivity rate were very low. Other municipalities were moving in the right direction, until the "British" variant of the virus began spreading in the capital region and in the municipality of Marijampolė (it borders with Poland); the situation began deteriorating in other municipalities as well.

Help for those with learning difficulties. With the tightening of quarantine and remote teaching, teachers began to notice that some children were experiencing difficulties in online education. In mid-January, there were an estimated 14,000 such children who needed help with remote learning – to help them participate in remote learning, and to strengthen their learning motivation. A further 11,000 students experienced disruptions due to not having enough technological equipment at home. The government decided that children who are having difficulty learning from home, or who the Child Welfare Commission feels need care in an institution should be provided with their remote learning, care and free meals at a school, children’s day centre or other institution designated by the municipality. An algorithm was developed to help schools to identify students in need of additional support for remote learning. Volunteers from non-governmental organizations are also involved; they help to look after these children in the schools, children’s day care centres or youth centres, even in the middle of spring, and help them with their homework.

Additional funding will also be provided to allow students in difficulty to have individual consultations with their teachers, thus helping to reduce learning gaps. It is planned to have summer camps for these children to help with improving their mathematical and science literacy through various activities.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Sport allocated EUR 6 million for the purchase of computer equipment. Just over 9,000 computers with internet access have been bought using these funds and Eur 1 million was allocated for the individual consultations with teachers.

Measures to help school leavers prepare for exams. From mid-March 2021, schools were allowed to organize consultations for school leavers (upper secondary education students). A maximum of 5 twelfth graders may participate in a consultation. There are also remote open lessons with teachers and university lecturers. Twelfth graders’ Lithuanian language and mathematics teachers are undergoing additional consultations to help students prepare for state exams. Students and teachers can use the tasks of previous state exams. In order to reduce the stress experienced by school leavers, the oral exams for Lithuanian language and literature have already been cancelled.

Vaccination. Lithuania received its first vaccines at the end of December 2020 / first days of January 2021. Doctors and other front-line workers and nursing-home patients were the first to be vaccinated. Vaccination of pre-school teachers started in mid-February because kindergartens were not closed en masse during the strictest quarantine in the winter of 2020-2021. Also, in order to bring primary school students back to schools as soon as possible, vaccination of primary school teachers was also started. In the second half of March, before the mass vaccination, all educators were listed as priority groups and vaccination of this cohort has begun. In an effort to ensure that the final State exams can proceed safely, vaccination of school leavers began in early April.

2021-2022 school year in primary, lower and higher secondary education was started in a contact manner, in compliance with basic safety conditions.

It is recommended for students from 12 years of age and teachers to get vaccinated voluntarily. All schools provide opportunities for students to voluntarily test in one of the methods chosen by the school (cumulative, antigens). The school decides on the method of testing. Children are tested at school, tests are provided by the school.

Non-immune employees are required to be tested regularly in accordance with government procedures.

[1] The cumulative test is much simplier and causes less discomfort – the sample is taken from the nose at a depth of 1.5 cm. Samples from the entire family are placed in a single medium and travel to the laboratory for analysis.

2020

Going into lockdown and switching to online learning. From 16 March 2020 Lithuania went into lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All types of schools were closed. The first two weeks of quarantine were announced as holidays, during which schools prepared for online education. On 30 March the online and distance learning started.

Support to education institutions. To help schools, a digital learning base has been developed with learning environments, methodological materials, teaching tools and other information relevant to schools. The digital learning base is constantly updated. Schools are encouraged to submit their proposals. At the same time, since the introduction of quarantine, the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport has organized constantly online consultations for school principals, their deputies responsible for organizing education at school, teachers, school IT specialists, employees of municipal education departments, etc. Not only was they taught how to work, but they also shared experiences, looking for the best solutions. Private publishers have made available free of charge private digital education content and tools that they have developed.

Support for parents and pupils. During the first weeks of quarantine, it was clarified how many pupils have the necessary tools for online learning. It turned out that a part of pupils do not have computers and internet connection at home. As a result, 35,000 tablets and laptops were purchased and distributed to pupils from socially sensitive families. Private companies provided Internet for free. The schools and libraries themselves provided computers to the students, lending their own equipment. There was a civic campaign “Give or lend an unnecessary working computer or tablet”.

At the same time, training was provided to parents on how to learn online by being at home and how to use the Internet safely. An IT administrator was appointed at each school, who also advised parents raising children with special educational needs (SEN). Educational support specialists provided online assistance for children.

The national broadcaster LRT TELEVIZIJA started broadcasting "LRT lessons" every day for children who are not yet in school and pupils in grades 1-4. The show consists of four lessons lasting up to 15 minutes. They are led by teachers, pre-school and pre-primary educators and other professionals. The program “Interesting Lessons Live“ with interactive quizzes, interesting experiments, etc. was started to be shown to older students on a daily basis. There was variety of private initiatives to contribute to the education of children, for example, programmers offered free programming lessons for children.

Relaxing the quarantine conditions. By easing the quarantine, pupils were gradually allowed to return to schools. First, from May 25th, primary school students (grades 1-4) were able to return to schools. Pupils in lower secondary and upper secondary education could return to schools from May 30. From May 25th, counselling for graduates could also take place in schools. The special schools and special classes in general education schools have opened their doors since this day. The municipality and school principals took the final decision on whether schools will work remotely or on a regular basis. It was recommended that children with chronic illnesses or living with people at risk continue to be educated at home. In addition, even if the child was healthy, it was not mandatory to allow him / her to go to school – his parents could continue to look after him / her at home. Educators at risk continued to work remotely with children.

The following safety requirements were set for the renewed normal educational process:

• Adhere to the principle of group isolation. That is, conduct teaching in a way that pupils from different classes would not mix. For example, to adjust the schedule of classes so that pupils come to the institution at different time, to plan the directions of movement in the corridors, to organize meals in the classrooms. Pupils from one class should study in one class all day. Teachers of different subjects should come to class.
• A distance of 1 m must be maintained between pupils in classrooms or teaching places.
• Classes and premises must be ventilated frequently; frequently touched surfaces must be disinfected.
• General hygiene requirements (wash hands, sneezing label, etc.) must be observed, hands must be disinfected, and adults must wear face protection indoors.
• Assessing the health of students and teachers – measuring temperature, monitoring for signs of infection.

From June 1, the requirements have been further relaxed: schools can work both online and in classes. It was recommended to give priority to outdoor education. If consultations take place in classrooms, a distance of 1 m must be maintained. It is better when a teacher comes to the class and not when the pupils go to the teacher. It was recommended to minimize communication as much as possible, to adjust the time students spend at school so that the different classes would not meet each other at the same time. The adults should wear face masks, respirators or other means to cover mouth and nose.

It was up to the municipalities or the school principals themselves to decide how the schools would continue to operate – online, regular or mixed. About 75 percent of schools have chosen to continue working remotely. The rest worked mixed. Most of schools that worked mixed were those that taught students in grades 5-11. Schools also decided when to complete the educational process and start the summer holidays. So for pupils in grade 1-4 the summer holidays started in the first days of June, for older pupils – around the middle of June.

Knowledge assessment. In the spring of 2020, the achievements of tenth grade students (lower secondary education achievement test – PUPP) did not take place. Students were offered to independently perform PUPP tasks in Lithuanian language and literature and mathematics online. It has been decided that this year the lower secondary education achievement certificate will be issued by recording annual assessments. The national pupils’ achievement testing also did not take place. It usually tests the knowledge of 2nd, 4th and 8th grade students.

After discussions with education experts, representatives of parents and students, it was decided not to cancel the State Matura examination, only to delay the usual date of it. State Matura examination began in late June (usually State Matura examination starts on May).

Organization of the 2020 - 2021 school year in general education institutions. In preparation for the new school year, the Minister of Education, Science and Sport approved a description of the criteria for teaching online.  Until the beginning of the school year, the epidemiological situation was assessed, which could determine in what way - in the usual, remote, mixed - way to organize the educational process. Schools were also preparing to implement safety requirements. Among other requirements (possibility to wash or disinfect hands, constantly ventilate the premises, etc.), schools have solved the requirement that required a lot of creativity – how to ensure the safety of all and meet the safety requirements. By assigning one classroom to one class, it was important to regulate the flows in the corridors so that pupils from different classes did not mix. Auxiliary entrances to the school were opened for this purpose. Some classes have a slight delay starting the school-day to avoid overlaps in breaks. Shifts have been introduced in large schools. Corridors were marked, indicating the direction of movement. Decisions were reached how to organize meals in the classroom or canteen and ensure that only a few pupils of students had lunch in separate spaces during one break. The issue of safe pupils’ transportation to school has also been addressed.

COVID-19 in the school. If a member of the school community is found to be infected COVID-19, the head of the institution must immediately inform the National Public Health Center under the Ministry of Health. In collaboration with the supervisor, the persons who had contact with the sick person are identified. 14 days of isolation is applied to those in contact. For the contact class, several classes or the whole school, the education is continued online.

According to the data of September 15, due to the recorded case of COVID-19 and possible contact, one pre-school education group (19 children) works remotely. At least 50 percent of the distance learning time must be devoted to synchronous education. No more than 50 percent is allocated to asynchronous education. The general education plans also stipulate that the duration of continuous synchronous education may not exceed 2 hours without brake.

According to the data of September 15th, due to the recorded case of COVID-19 and possible contact, one general education school is working online. There are also 24 classrooms working online (on average, there are 21 pupils in a class). 160 individual pupils are also currently studying online.

2019

Updated full-time payment system

At the end of 2018, teachers went on strike over a recently introduced full-time payment system. Now, therefore, this system has been updated and on 1 March 2019, the Minister of Education, Science and Sport^[1] approved an updated full-time payment system. This updated full-time payment system became operative on 1 September 2019. Additionally, 14 million euros will be allocated for the im plementation of the system between September and December. If there are difficulties in implementing the updated system, it will be updated again.

The new system is  simpler and clearer. As before, 1512 hours a year makes a full-time post. A teacher's working time per week is 36 hours. The main difference between the first and second systems is the structure of a full-time post. It is divided into two, not three, parts:

I. Teaching lessons, planning the educational process, preparation for lessons, assessment of pupils’ work, leading the class;

II. Work for the school community and improving qualifications.

*Beginner, i.e. those who have working for less than 2 years as general education teachers have up to 756 contact hours a year. Vocational training and non-formal education (except pre-school and pre-primary) teachers have up to 924 contact hours a year; other teachers have up to 888 contact hours a year.

A primary class teacher’s full-time post is established, when a teacher has 700 or more contact hours a year.

**Hours for planning the educational process, preparation for lessons and assessment of pupils’ work are set according to the teaching subject and the number of pupils in the class. This is approximately 40-60 percent of contact hours. The hours are set in the 1^st appendix of the ordinance of the Minister of Education, Science and Sport.

***Hours for leading the class depend on the number of pupils in the class.

Hours for the school community and professional improvement. The Minister of Education, Science and Sport approved activities for the school community and professional improvement activities. A teacher has to spend at least 102 hours a year engaged in activities for the school community and professional improvement activities. Compulsory community hours are intended for work with parents – consulting and informing them, communication and cooperation with them. These are also hours for the planning and improvement of the school’s activities, i.e. participation in meetings and conferences.

Apart from the above-mentioned compulsory activities, a teacher can engage in optional activities, e.g., participation in the school’s self-government, preparation of school’s education programmes, the exchange of experience (mentorship, colleague consultation, teaching open lessons, etc.) and others. These activities can consist of up to 400 hours a year.

Beginner teachers are recommended to spend more time for professional improvement and the deepening of their pedagogical skills. Skilled teachers are encouraged to share their experience.

Resting time. For the first time, the Minister of Education, Science and Sport has approved rules for the arrangement of work schedules. This not only sets worktime requirements but also requirements for resting time. The possibility for remote work (where activities are outside the school) is has been established.

Decisions on teachers’ workloads. The headmaster/headmistress is no longer the only person to approve teachers’ workloads. Workloads are coordinated with the schools’ work council. If there is no such council present, workloads are coordinated with the employer-level trade union.