A TRANSITION IN MONITORING OF EDUCATION IN LITHUANIA: BETWEEN VISION AND REALITY

The authors of the presentation aim to reveal the context of education monitoring in Lithuania. The system of education monitoring is firstly analysed on the basis of the content analysis of regulatory documents highlighting the provisions available in the society and educational system. The transitions in the system of education monitoring are disclosed in a chronological way: from the establishment of the national school (1989) to the construction of a better school (2015). At the end of the 20th century the Reform Movement of Lithuania was established in the Republic of Lithuania. The general meeting held on 3 June 1988 approved a steering committee, whose members mobilised their efforts to reform education. Dr. M. Lukšienė, one of the initiators, rallied like-minded people and put forward the framework of the national school, i.e. “The Concept of the National School” (1989). The vision of education constructed on the eve of independence was grounded on humanist philosophy. After the restoration of Independence on 11 March 1990, the need emerged to revise the vision of education. In 1992 the concept of Lithuanian education was adopted, which continued and enriched the principles of humanism in the paradigm of liberal education. Following the practice that prevailed prior the restoration of independence, the function of supervision of education was assigned to inspectorate. The quality assessment in education was carried out considering the conception of old supervision and traditional methods of activities (Ugdomasis inspektavimas, 1997). The approach that better education is predetermined by continuous control of education providers prevailed. In 1998 the Ministry of Education and Science declared the quality of education one of the priorities of education reform (Prakapas, 2010). While integrating into the European space through the system of education, the dimension of quality acquired high importance. The supervision and inspection of education consistently transformed into dual (external and internal) quality assessment. Implementing the EU and national documents (The Long-Term Development Strategy of the State, 2002; The State Education Strategy, 2003; The Programme of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, 2009; The Procedure of Education Monitoring, 2005), the models of quality management of education services were introduced and the culture of self-assessment and assessment was nurtured in Lithuania seen as an equivalent country in terms of education reform. Monitoring of education in the national documents is treated as one of the most important factors ensuring the quality of education. However, the system of education supervision (2012) functions as a hierarchical structure, which generates a conflict in itself. The remains of soviet ideology impose additional barriers on the real changes in the principles of educational reforms. Moreover, reforming the actions of society in the reality the prevailing neoliberal ideology and solutions based on this ideology are revealed. Thus, over the last three decades the reality of education monitoring has been drifting away from the projected vision. The implementation of education monitoring has been revised. The presenters raise the problematic issues that are important for a change in the system of education monitoring as quality assurance in schools of general education in Lithuania.