Lithuania - Preprimary & Primary Education

According to the Law on Education for the Republic of Lithuania, children under the age of seven are permitted to enroll in nursery school and kindergarten upon the request of the parent or guardian, whereas orphans and neglected children are enrolled in childcare institutions. Lithuania encourages education in the home for children under the age of seven and provides benefits to those who comply through methodological, diagnostic, and consultation assistance.

Additionally, general secondary education is acquired in three stages over a period of twelve years. The three stages of schooling are divided into separate administrative units: primary, principal, and secondary schooling. The secondary school of general education establishes the duration of study for these schools (NAFSA 1991).

The primary school works to create a concrete and integrated view of the world for the child. During the primary school years, students become acclimated to their surroundings and learn basic reading, writing, and arithmetic skills. The basics of a foreign language are taught and artistic expression is encouraged. The children's main methods of learning are through example, experience, activity, and direct contact. One teacher generally teaches all the basic subjects, while cooperating closely with the students' families.

The system changes for grades 5 through 8, where different instructors teach different subjects. Students gain a deeper understanding of the native language and literature, mathematics, and natural science, while the learning of a second foreign language commences. Social studies are introduced into the curriculum, with compulsory and elective subjects making up the remaining of the set of courses. Students begin to specialize at the seventh to eighth grade level.