Konarski school: Accreditation has been given for the 1st quarter of 2018

‘The Ministry of Education did not grant the status of middle school to two national minority schools – Szymon Konarski school and Puszkin school’ – On the weekend, following BNS agency, Lithuanian media wrote ‘It is a lie’ – comments the councillor of Municipal Council Edita Tamošiūnaitė. ‘ The Ministry has set the date of accreditation for the 1st quarter of 2018’ – informs the Szymon Konarski school director Walery Jagliński.

‘There is nothing to accreditate, schools are primary and their status indicates that they can provide primary education. Believing that after the decision has been made on the 18th of August, the accreditation will be completed on the 1st of September is unreal’ – said Deputy Minister of Education Gražvydas Kazakevičius.

‘Formally the information is true, although appearing not now but on the 31st of August. But an intervention took place on various levels, among others, Prime Minster Saulius Skvernelis after visiting Warsaw said, that together with Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydło they have discussed the matter of Konarski middle school. Chancellery will send a letter to the Ministry of Education to solve the problematic situation, and on Thursday school received a letter from Deputy Minister Gražvydas Kazakevičius’ – says to zw.lt Walery Jagliński.

‘According to the letter, the Ministry could not have given us permission to become a long middle school on the 31st of August. The decision of Municipal Council was partially against the law because right now there is no any mechanism that could transform primer school into middle school. The same letter also says that Szymon Konarski school accreditation is foreseen for the 1st quarter of 2018’ – explains Jagliński.

‘Until the 1st of September, the accreditation considered schools that used to be middle school, like Syrokomla middle school and Lelewel middle school. It was a natural process on the basis of particular Acts. Right now we are considered as a primary school, although having 11-12 grades. There is no any regulation that could turn the primary school into middle school. The Ministry should create regulations – after all, there should be ways to create middle schools in Lithuania. The date for our accreditation is set – it is the 1st quarter of 2018’ – highlights Walery Jagliński.

Gražvydas Kazakevičius, talking with BNS agency, also says that on the 1st of January 2018 the Ministry will work on accreditation rules of primary schools into middle schools.

According to director Jagliński, thanks to the attention of Polish and Lithuanian politicians, it was allowed to create 11 grades this year on Konarski school. They are connected to Jan Paweł II middle school.

City councillor, Edita Tamošiūnaitė, has spoken about the subject.

‘Self-government has asked the Ministry of Education to accreditate these schools this year. Ministry is preparing criteria that have to be met. Ministry has nothing against accreditating schools: Konarski, Puszkin, school in Fabijoniškės. City council has decided that there will be 3 more middle schools created in Vilnius (33 votes for, 3 abstained from voting). Everything is alright, students are learning, schools are active, Ministry is working on amendments to accreditation terms’ – Tamošiūnaitė wrote on Facebook.

In the accreditation process, Konarski school will apply for the status of long middle school with innovative entrepreneurship profile.