State examination for minorities in Lithuania returns!

The newest information reveals that Jurgita Šiugždinienė, the Minister of Education, Science and Sports, signed the decision to restore the State Maturity examination for languages of minorities, which entail Polish, Belarusian, Russian and German. The decision was made during the meeting of delegations of the Lithuanian and Polish Ministries of Education. This is a major step forward for school graduates of minorities in Lithuania who have not had the opportunity to take this examination for 10 years. According to the students of ethnical minorities, this is a highly significant decision, because this examination is evaluated twice as high for the entrance score in higher education institutions in Lithuania.

Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk showed sincere gratitude for the Lithuanian Government and its actions that allowed minorities to have an opportunity to develop their mother tongue. Non-governmental organizations, which have been asking for the State examination for languages of minorities to be returned to the Lithuanian education system for several years, have taken notice of this information as well. However, the resumption of the previously mentioned Maturity examination in Lithuania was not the only topic discussed during the meeting. The Lithuanian delegation additionally discussed the situation in Suwalki and presented its expectations about the education of Lithuanians located there. The delegation deemed it is necessary to allocate premises and additional funds for the establishment of elementary schools.

This decision is certainly worth welcoming because it brings the two countries closer in terms of respect for the use of languages of minorities. The steps taken by the Ministry of Lithuania without a doubt will create better conditions for young people to develop their mother tongue and give a better start for higher education and later – their future adult lives.

/Translated by Monika Ivanavičiūtė within the framework of a traineeship programme of the European Foundation of Human Rights/