The plan for the transformation of educational institutions is being reconsidered

The implementation of the 2021-2025 general plan for the transformation of the network of general education schools of the municipality of Alytus and the project of adjusting its annexes is moving forward with a creak. The city’s educational institutions received a new letter from the Education and Sports Department of the municipality regarding the reorganization of the education network.

The second letter appeared after the first one was opposed by parents whose children are to be transferred from kindergartens with pre-school groups to gymnasiums and by staff.

Reorganization corrections have been updated in response to comments and correcting procedural violations. In the first letter, the communities of educational institutions were not given a reasoned request to submit the school board’s decision within a shorter period of time – a week.

Now 15 days (in this case) until April 3 are provided by law for deliberations and submission of a decision. There is no longer a point indicating the formation of pre-school education groups in general education schools. “This is not part of the reorganization of the network plan and the council will consider this issue separately,” explained Loreta Šernienė, head of the Education and Sports Department.

According to her, after the working group analyzed the proposals submitted by the educational institutions, the plan was adjusted so that it would be attractive to the city institutions. “We took into account the issues that worried the employees and recorded that the employees will not be fired, that they will be able to carry out their activities in the same premises. After the correction, the plan did not change in principle, the combinations of nurseries-kindergartens at pro-gymnasiums remained the same.

There was concern about the retention of the name of the departments, we confirmed that they will remain – the “Drevinukos” school-kindergarten will become the “Drevinukos” department of the Vidzgiris school, the “Nykštukas” nursery-kindergarten will become a department of the Piliakalnis pro-gymnasium, and the “Boružėlė” nursery-kindergarten will become a department of the Likiškėlių pro-gymnasium. All issues will be considered, we want emotions to calm down and people to appreciate what has been proposed, that’s why a new consideration is needed”, emphasized L. Šernienė.

The head of the Department of Education and Sports denied that all pre-school children will be transferred to schools from September 1 of this year: “There was never a provision that all pre-school children would go to school from September of this year. When the council approves the class sets, then it will become clear how many will go to general education schools and how many will remain in nurseries-kindergartens. We will see everything after the council’s decision.”

L. Šernienė pointed out that the pre-school education contract ends this summer, so parents will have to sign a new contract and choose an educational institution where their children will continue to be educated.

“If we propose to form pre-school classes in general education schools, it will only be by creating better conditions so that children can receive the highest quality education possible. I have no doubt that the conditions in schools will be no worse than in kindergartens. In addition, we need to prepare for inclusive education, which requires additional spaces”, assured L. Šernienė.

What kind of changes await preschool education institutions from September will become clear after the consideration of the new transformation plan and the decisions made by the municipal council.