The Session of the Polish Fraction of Lithuanian Freedom Union

On Monday, January 19th, the session of the Polish Fraction of Lithuanian Freedom Union took place. The issues concerning Polish education in Lithuania were referred to in the meeting. Not only the issues, but also the solutions to them, were discussed during the meeting.

The lack of overall strategy of the development of Polish education in Lithuania, because of which the level of education in schools and the students’ knowledge of their native language suffer, was detailed as the main issue.

The forms of support from the Polish country for Polish schools in Lithuania were reviewed. It was decided that the financial help should be granted to the specific aims and projects which must be fulfilled.

Another issue discussed during the meeting was the lack of appropriate promotion of Polish schools in Lithuania by the means of the media, local governments and through Lithuanian association “Macierz Szkolna.” Some attention was also devoted to the issue of inadequate promotion of Polish culture within the Polish community, which has a negative effect on the education as well.

The participants of the discussion emphasised the necessity to prepare a special Lithuanian language learning programme on different levels in Polish schools in Lithuania, in order to make the study of the state language not discouraging but properly adjusted. The need of introducing an obligatory Matura exam in Polish language was also referred to.

It was indicated that it is important to use the Polish media, especially public television in Poland.

It was determined that the Association of Teachers of Polish Schools in Lithuania “Macierz Szkolna” is inefficient and ineffective. The chairman of the Association, Józef Kwiatkowski is not fulfilling modern requirements, with which a leader of such an important organization is confronted.

The first meeting proved that the discussion on the topic of Polish education in Lithuania is necessary and will be continued within the Polish Fraction of Lithuanian Freedom Union.