Education in Lithuania : search for the proof of success

Straipsnyje nagrinėjami objektyvūs Lietuvos švietimo duomenys, turimų duomenų kaita nuo pat Nepriklausomybės atkūrimo. Analizuojamos pačios būdingiausios švietimo kokybės, prieinamumo, finansų vaidmens visuomenėje perspektyvos. Keliami aktualūs uždaviniai ateičiai.The author of the article analyses objective data on the education in Lithuania and the changes in the data since the regain of Lithuanian independence. The analysis encompasses the most characteristic prospects related to the quality, accessibility, financing of education and the role of education in the society. In addition, the author sets topical objectives for the future. The goal of the research is to analyse the objective data on the long-term changes that took place in the sector of education in Lithuania and to produce proof of the positive changes in education by focussing on the key policy areas that have continuity as their characteristic feature. Since the very start of the reform, education in Lithuania has been perceived in the cultural context as the component that ensures continuity and further development. For the purpose of policy analysis, the following three documents reflecting the beginning of the reform, the interim assessment of the educational change on the international level and the newest education policy were analysed: The Concept of the National School drafted in 1988 [30], the assessment of the education in Lithuania carried out by the OECD experts in 1999-2000 [24] and the government programme of the current 15th Government of the Republic of Lithuania for 2008-2012. In many respects the education policy of Lithuania remained within the framework of the ideals enshrined in the Concept of the National School, especially in terms of the continuous strive for quality and the entrenchment of respective internal attitude to strive for quality, in terms of life long learning and life long accessibility of education, the importance of investing in education and the recognition that education is a society-changing force. At the same time the unity of generations and the nation, the stable ideals as such are to be viewed as positive elements of the education reform in Lithuania. All of it can be perceived as the manifestation of continuity and harmony of the education reform. The analysis of the national statistical data and the statistics from other EU member states showed major achievements of Lithuania in improving the accessibility ofeducation and the resulting respective improvement in the level of education of the society. The secondary analysis of the data obtained as a result of international comparative studies of student achievement showed a considerable improvement in the quality of education in Lithuania in terms of improved student achievement in some areas. The results of the analysis performed by the author suggest that change in the management style would be a major objective. Based on varied national, foreign and international research data the author proves that a respective energy-supporting management style may positively influence further improvements in terms of student achievement, motivation and respective improvements in the level of education, and even the civic maturity of the society. The ideals that remained viable during the times of designing the reform, the enthusiasm intertwined with our hopes and believes and omnipresent at the beginning of the reform implementation process, the contribution of the second stage of the reform in terms of coherence, the recently developed skills of reflection form a firm basis for further action in response to the new challenges emerging in the process of societal development