Liberal-Conservative Majority’s Blow to Adam Mickiewicz High School

September 1st is the deadline for reorganizing high schools into gymnasiums, progymnasiums and primary schools. Therefore, in accordance to the law, local governments had to make decisions until May 1st as to which schools would be still undertaking high school curriculum.

Stirring a lot of discussion, the latest decision made on April 29th by of the Council of the Capital City, which was made through an accelerated review, approved that the 5th form in Adam Mickiewicz High School in Vilnius will not be filled starting from the next school year.

– It is not known why the decision was made with such a hurry, as there were no reasons to do so. Especially as these matters had been not discussed during the meeting of the Committee on Education. The council’s working procedure was violated – said to “Tygodnik” Edyta Tamošiūnaitė, councilor from the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania. She added also that the process of not filling the 5th form should first commence from changing the conditions that specify from which region students are allowed to attend which school.

Last week, schools applying for the status of so-called “extended gymnasium”, J. Lelewel High School and Wł. Syrokomla High School, were visited by the commission from the Ministry of Education and Science, which will decide whether these schools will be in position to undergo the accreditation process. J. Lelewel High School intends to undertake a curriculum based on specialist education in the faculty of engineering, whereas “Syrokomlówka” – a ciurriclum based on Christian values.

According to Edyta Tamošiūnaitė, the issue of Wł. Syrokomla High School is a play-for-time, since the school successfully passed the accreditation and it should not be denied its status of so-called “extended gymnasium.” The Ministry suggests that a school which applies for the approval of its curriculum based on Christian values should have two founders. However, such requirements should be met by a school which applies for the status of a Catholic high school, and not a high school whose curriculum is to be based on Christian values.

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It appears that hasty actions of Vilnius’ ruling coalition is deliberately targeted against Polish schools. Fortunately, in accordance to the Law, local governments  cannot make any decisions on the reorganization of schools after May 1st. Thus, a decision on the accreditation of Polish high schools belong only to the Ministry of Education and Science. Generally, the Ministry possesses no legal bases no to accredit Polish high schools in Vilnius: Wł. Syrokomla High School, J. Lelewel High School, Sz. Konarski High School, and High School in Leszczynianki.

Inf. Tygodnik Wileńszczyzny