Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with a group of parents of Belarusian schoolchildren who have campaigned for more Belarusian language instruction available in lower grades in Vilnius. The meeting was also attended by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Education and Science, Tatiana Shchyttsova, and Advisor on Youth Policy and Students, Marharyta Vorykhava. During the conversation, they discussed the need for integration programs for Belarusian children in Lithuania, Lithuanian language courses for teachers, and textbooks in Belarusian.
In particular, parents appealed to the Belarusian leader to support their efforts to expand enrollment in the lower grades at the Francysk Skaryna Gymnasium, which is currently the only school in Lithuania with instruction in Belarusian. In addition to Belarusian, children in the gymnasium learn Lithuanian and other foreign languages.
Over the past three years, the Belarusian diaspora in Vilnius has significantly increased, creating a growing demand for education in Belarusian. The Francysk Skaryna Gymnasium cannot accommodate all applicants, so children are redirected to other, usually Russian-speaking, schools.
Parents noted that consultations with the Vilnius municipality have already begun and emphasized that resolving this issue will allow children not only to study in their native language but also to effectively integrate into Lithuanian society. The initiative also aims to provide Belarusian schoolchildren with high-quality education and upbringing based on democratic European values.
However, the city authorities cannot accurately assess the demand for Belarusian-language education. Therefore, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office calls on parents of Belarusian-speaking children to submit applications through the official website: http://svietimas.vilnius.lt/. Detailed instructions are available in Belarusian.
