Lithuania eyes phasing out Russian language in schools by 2026

Lithuania may gradually phase out Russian as the second foreign language in schools by 2026, citing changing student preferences and geopolitical concerns.

This was reported by the state broadcaster LRT, referencing statements from education officials and lawmakers, per Caliber.Az.

Jonas Petkevičius, Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Sports, stated that discussions will be held with both the Seimas Committee on Education and Science and the general public regarding the possible removal of Russian from the school curriculum as a second foreign language.

“We are observing the trends and will certainly consider the possibility of eliminating Russian as the second foreign language,” he said.

He also noted that in recent years, the number of students choosing to study Russian has significantly decreased.

According to the 2021 population census, ethnic Russians make up approximately 1% of the population in Lithuania, equaling around 28,200 people. According to the same statistics, the share of the Russian ethnic community in comparison to all foreigners has decreased the most among all minorities in the country, from 6.3% to 5% over the last 20 years.

By Nazrin Sadigova