Finnish and Irish education stakeholders have taken part in a study visit to Vilnius, Lithuania, as part of the ‘Fostering inclusive quality education in Finland and Ireland’ project. The project is funded by the European Union via the Technical Support Instrument and implemented by EASNIE, in co-operation with the European Commission’s Reform and Investment Task Force, the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture and the Irish Department of Education.
The study visit participants included representatives from the Finnish and Irish Ministries of Education and various national bodies. It aimed to give visitors an insight into Lithuania’s current initiatives and pilot projects related to inclusive school provision and support services.
The Lithuanian Ministry of Education and representatives from the National Centre for Inclusive Education gave participants an overview of the Lithuanian education system and initiatives. Participants then visited a regional educational centre, Kaišiadorys St. Faustina Education Centre, and two schools: Vilnius District Nemenčinė Gediminas Gymnasium and Geniukų kalvė kindergarten. They met headteachers, teachers, parents and learners, as well as wider multi-disciplinary teams including school psychologists and speech therapists. They discussed inclusive practices and challenges and saw how the schools cater for learners with a range of needs.
The visit showed how multi-disciplinary collaboration can support stakeholders to effectively apply inclusive principles in practice and the importance of a common understanding of inclusive education.
The participants identified several topics to explore further in the project’s next steps, including organising more visits to local schools to establish further cross-border co-operation. A report on European Union/European Economic Area country practices will include key takeaways from the study visit, together with relevant country examples.
More information on EASNIE’s TSI work is available on the TSI web area.
