Country report

1. STEM education

Lithuania continues to face shortages of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professionals, reflecting mismatches between educational output and labour market demand. Nearly half of graduates are in jobs that do not match their level of education, and, at 20.9%, macroeconomic skills mismatches remain high. The demand for high-value-added competencies is strengthened by demographic shifts and digital transitions, with STEM featuring prominently in the national qualifications list for reskilling and upskilling (LPES, 2024). Vocational education and training (VET) offers an important but underutilised and still gendered channel for STEM development. In 2023, 50.3% of students enrolled in medium-level VET (ISCED 3-4) were in STEM subjects, considerably above the EU average of 36.3% and above the EU 2030 target of 45%. Of these, however, only 9.0% were female, below the EU average (15.4%) and missing the 25% target.

STEM enrolments at tertiary level remained largely stable, slightly below the EU average. Between 2015 and 2023, the share of students enrolled in tertiary STEM education remained constant, 24.9% to 25.0% (vs EU: 26.9%) – below the proposed EU target of 32% for 2030 – with reduced enrolments in engineering and manufacturing. However, provisional national 2024 data shows a modest rebound to 28.4%, with engineering accounting for 16.9% of new enrolments – above the EU average (14.9%) – and natural sciences, mathematics and statistics rising slightly to 4.8% (LAMA BPO, 2024). In contrast, information and communication technology (ICT) enrolments, which had climbed from 2.9% in 2015 to 7.2% in 2023, fell back to 6.8% in 2024 (LAMA BPO, 2024), mainly due to declining interest at college level. Engineering and manufacturing regained attractiveness after previous lows, reflecting stronger state incentives and alignment with labour market demand. ICT, although above the EU average, faced some volatility recently. Science and mathematics remain stable, with internal shifts favouring biology over physics or mathematics (LAMA BPO, 2024).

These trends are shaped by policy incentives and student perceptions. Lithuania has no standalone STEM strategy, but key programmes – such as the national science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) plan (MoESS, 2023a) and the Millennium Schools Programme – promote STEM through curriculum reform, infrastructure investments and career guidance. Ten regional and methodical STEAM centres offer lab- and project-based learning in robotics, life sciences and smart technologies, to reduce regional disparities and boost engagement. By the end of 2024, 1 000 teachers and 20 000 students had taken part in STEAM centre activities (NŠA, 2024).

Entrenched gender gaps persist. In 2023, only 27.3% of STEM students were women, marginally more than 26.2% in 2015, far from the EU target of 40%. In 2015, with 39.0% being women, Lithuania had reached the target of 30% of ICT PhD enrolees being women by 2030, but this figure had dropped to only 26.9% by 2023, reflecting a broader pattern of gender segregation, with women concentrated in health, education and social sciences and men dominating technical disciplines. Despite high overall female tertiary educational attainment and one of the largest gender gaps in tertiary educational attainment rates (18.4 percentage points (pps) in favour of women; EU: 11.2 pps), STEM gender gaps translate into unequal career prospects, wages and employment quality (Buelvas Baldiris, 2023). Current policies aim to increase STEM enrolment, but addressing gender imbalances will require more targeted efforts, including mentoring, role models and bias-free guidance early on (initiatives such as Empowering Girls for the Future of Jobs and TEAM STEAM).

2. Early childhood education and care

Participation in early childhood education and care (ECEC) continues to increase and Lithuania is investing in reducing regional disparities. In 2023, 96.2% of children from age 3 to the start of compulsory primary education were enrolled in ECEC, exceeding the EU average of 94.0% and above the 2030 EU target (96%). Participation in formal childcare or education of children under 3 has been steadily rising, with fluctuations, from 9.7% in 2015 to 36.9% in 2024 (EU: 39.3%), surpassing the national Barcelona target of 30.5%. However, regional inequalities persist: rural areas report significantly lower enrolment rates, particularly for vulnerable children (NŠA, 2024). In response, since September 2024, all 3 year-olds are guaranteed a place in ECEC, with a legal entitlement to extend this to 2 year-olds from September 2025 (MoESS, 2022). In early 2025, the Ministry of Education allocated an additional EUR 3.3 million for municipalities to cover education, meals and transport for vulnerable children (MoESS, 2025a). The government’s programme implementation plan also envisions creating at least 2 000 new pre-school places and finance at least 3 000 children living in socially vulnerable families (Government of the Republic of Lithuania, 2025). By 2027, national targets aim for 70% participation in ECEC among 2–5 year-olds in rural areas.

Increasing participation gives rise to infrastructure and staffing challenges. Notwithstanding one of the highest ECEC funding growths in recent years in the EU (Eurydice, 2025), ECEC staff shortages persist across all regions. Recent salary increases have narrowed the wage gap with primary teachers, and as of 2025, salary scales are being aligned (LŠMPS, 2024). Additional measures addressing staffing challenges include increased availability of scholarships for tertiary pedagogical education, funding commuting costs and introducing flexible work schedules (NESET, 2024). Despite these, further investments in workforce attraction and retention are needed to meet rising demand.

A revised preschool curriculum aims to improve quality, but implementation remains a challenge. New national guidelines require all preschools to adapt their curricula by September 2025. However, the lack of practical detail and late publication may delay implementation, especially in preschools with fewer resources (NŠA, 2025). A new external evaluation process for ECEC centres was also introduced from autumn 2024, to support quality assurance (Eurydice, 2025).

3. School education and basic skills

Equity challenges persist despite stable average performance. The PISA 2022 results confirm that Lithuanian students slightly outperform the EU average in basic skills. Underachievement in mathematics was 27.8% (EU: 29.5%), 24.9% in reading (EU: 26.2%) and 21.8% in science (EU: 24.2%). These results have remained relatively stable since 2012, with underachievement increasing only in science (European Commission, 2024). However, average figures mask deep disparities by socio-economic status and school location (OECD, 2024a). Disadvantaged students’ underachievement rate in mathematics (46.5%; EU: 48%) is more than four times higher than their advantaged peers’ (11.0%; EU: 10.9%). Worsening figures for the proposed equity indicator (from 15.3% in 2015 to 13.9% in 2022; EU: 16.3%), measuring the share of disadvantaged 15 year-olds performing well in at least one PISA area, do not bode well for Lithuania’s competitiveness. School location exacerbates inequalities: urban students scored 71 points higher in mathematics than rural students – way above the EU average gap of 46 points (OECD, 2023a). The Ministry of Education, Science and Sport has prepared a 2023-2030 plan to improve mathematics teaching and learning (MoESS, 2023b). It focuses on supporting low-performing students, boosting teachers’ skills and expanding digital tools in line with the new curriculum (European Commission, 2024). Equity issues are also reflected in the increase in early leaving from education and training (ELET) among 18 to 24 year-olds: in 2024, 8.4% of people in this age group left education early (EU: 9.3%), up from 6.4% (EU: 9.5%) in 2023.

Structural inequalities are linked to territorial disparities in school resourcing, quality and access. Despite consistently high financial and non-financial support for equity in school education (Eurydice, 2023), the education system struggles to ensure comparable quality across regions. Rural areas tend to have small, under-resourced schools with lower teacher availability and fewer learning opportunities. School location heavily affects student outcomes (Dukynaitė et al., 2024). Teachers in rural schools often work part-time in several schools, impeding continuity and student support (Blöchliger & Tusz, 2020). Lithuania invests in education quality and has responded by seeking to rationalise its school system and network through reform supported by EU funding under its recovery and resilience plan (RRP) (Government of the Republic of Lithuania, 2025). Between 2020 and 2023, the number of general schools was reduced from 971 to 917 (VK, 2024), but the current organisation is far from optimal. In 2024, new government regulations relaxed the threshold for forming gymnasium (preparatory high school) classes, making it possible to form new classes with 12 students, instead of the 21 previously required (Government of the Republic of Lithuania, 2024). While providing benefits in terms of the offer of extra-curricular activities and teacher retention, this measure risks undermining previous progress, as 56 additional small schools have re-established gymnasium-level teaching (MoESS, 2025b).

The new skills-based curriculum is a major pedagogical shift, but implementation remains hard. Since September 2023, all Lithuanian schools at each general education grade are implementing a reformed national curriculum based on skills, independent learning and inclusive education principles (MoESS, 2023c). The final school-leaving exam (Matura) has been restructured accordingly, to reduce pressure in the final year and encourage broader and earlier student engagement across subjects (European Commission, 2024). Many schools however, particularly in rural areas, are having trouble adapting. Teacher feedback and expert reports note a lack of adequate preparation materials and uneven support. In 2025, Lithuania allocated EUR 25 million to textbook procurement and set up a working group to review curriculum guidance and better involve teachers in implementation.

Shortages of qualified teachers – especially in STEM subjects – are greatly detrimental to the quality of education. Lithuania continues to face an acute problem of teacher ageing. As of 2023, 41.2% of teachers were 55 or older – the highest rate in the EU, where the average is 25.1%. This is especially a problem in subjects with high labour market demand, such as STEM and foreign languages, and in rural and small schools, increasingly reliant on retired or commuting teachers (Blöchliger & Tusz, 2020). To address the matter, Lithuania had raised teacher salaries to 130% of the national average by 2024 (MoESS, 2024a). It has also expanded the use of flexible workload models (LŠMPS, 2024) and funding for in-service teachers to gain additional qualifications. However, the attractiveness of the teaching profession remains low. Young professionals and mid-career switchers cite low prestige, high stress and a lack of career prospects as the main deterrents. Recent data shows that the number of students enrolling in STEM teacher education programmes remains insufficient to meet future demand (LAMA BPO, 2024).

Reported digital competences are high, but there is a significant digital divide. TIMSS 2023 puts Lithuania among the top 10 countries for students’ self-rated digital proficiency (Dukynaitė et al., 2024). Confidence in digital skills was also positively correlated with STEM scores. Despite this, schools in smaller areas often lack reliable IT infrastructure, digital learning platforms or professional IT support. To address this issue, Lithuania is investing through its RRP in the EDtech platform, which will serve as a national hub for teacher training, educational resources and adaptive learning tools.

Inclusion of students with special educational needs is advancing, but more must be done. As of September 2024, general education schools are obliged to accept students with special educational needs (SEN) on request (MoESS, 2024b). This has increased the enrolment of SEN students in mainstream settings: over 90% of SEN children now learn in regular classes. However, infrastructure remains a major barrier – only 1.7% of general education schools have fully adapted physical environments. Investments from Cohesion Policy funds will help close identified infrastructure gaps – for example, in Šiauliai schools, a municipality co-financed ERDF project worth EUR 2 million is underway (2024–2026) to modernise educational spaces. The availability of support staff also varies widely, from 0.56 to 1.67 professionals per 100 students, depending on the area. Lithuania has doubled the number of teaching assistants since 2020 and launched targeted training initiatives for support professionals (NŠA, 2024).

Civic competences are decreasing, in line with EU average performances. In the 2022 International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS), Lithuania got lower overall civic knowledge scores (62.6% of students with at least a satisfactory ‘B’ score) than in 2016 (70.0%), slightly below the EU average (63.1%; 72.5% in 2016) – with one of the largest gender gaps in favour or girls. Equity gaps also persist, with students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds and rural areas less likely to participate in civic activities or demonstrate strong civic literacy (Schulz et al., 2025). More must be done to scale up initiatives promoting critical thinking, media literacy and democratic engagement across all types of schools (Schulz et al., 2025).

4. Vocational education and training

VET’s attractiveness and labour market relevance remains relatively low. In Lithuania only 36.2% of medium-level (ISCED 3 and 4 levels) students followed vocational programmes in 2023, compared to 52.4% in the EU. The actual number of students enrolled in medium-level VET has also dropped considerably compared to 2017’s highest recorded levels (from over 42 000 in 2017 to just over 25 500 in 2023). Despite steady progress in recent years, the labour market relevance of VET still leaves a lot to be desired, contributing to labour market skills mismatches. Recent VET graduates’ exposure to work-based learning has increased, reaching 59.5% in 2024 (compared to 46.7% in 2022), but remains below the EU average of 65.2%. Recent VET graduates’ employment rate follows a similar upward trend, having significantly increased in 2024 (76.6% vs 71.3% in 2023), but also remaining below the EU average of 80.0%.

The positive impact of national measures, including those funded under Cohesion policy funds and the RRP, is slowly manifesting itself, but it will take time to fully materialise. In 2022, Lithuania prepared a national implementation plan in response to the 2020 Council Recommendation on VET and the Osnabrück Declaration, aiming to address VET’s low attractiveness and low labour market relevance. Following the plan, in 2024, it launched the project ‘Vocational Education – Accessible to All’ to improve access to VET for students from disadvantaged backgrounds and SEN students. The project aims to promote inclusion, reduce dropout rates, and support smoother transitions to the labour market. Lithuania also engaged in the Technical Support Instrument project to improve the external evaluation of the quality of VET, alongside higher education. To better align VET with labour market needs, it is implementing several RRP measures, such as incentivising VET students to undertake apprenticeships, promoting the acquisition of practical skills in sectoral training centres, updating VET programmes to better align them with labour market needs, and promoting the digital and green transitions (Cedefop & ReferNet, 2025). In 2024, 33 modular VET programmes essential for the green and digital transitions were renewed, developed and registered in the Register of Study, Training Programmes and Qualifications.

5. Tertiary education

Tertiary educational attainment remains high, but demographic trends continue to have an impact on it. In 2024, 58.2% of 25–34 year-olds held a tertiary qualification, compared to the EU average of 44.2%. However, enrolment in higher education (ISCED 6-7) has been declining, falling from 25.8% to 23.7% between 2015 and 2023. This reflects Lithuania’s demographic decline, creating mismatches between higher education offer and demand and, ultimately, critical shortages even in popular subjects such as physics, chemistry and mathematics (LAMA BPO, 2024). These issues in turn raise long-term concerns about access to higher education and the viability of certain institutions.

Colleges are undergoing consolidation, but efficiency gains remain uncertain. A key RRP reform is their restructuring to improve quality and efficiency. Five mergers were completed between July and October 2024, with several colleges integrated into universities (MoESS, 2024c). The reform aims to strengthen applied research, consolidate resources and attract more students to regional centres. However, three of these mergers went ahead despite not being included in the list of mergers recommended by the independent national Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education (SKVC). The government plans to apply new quality-based criteria from 2028, covering student numbers, labour market alignment and research capacity. Whether these structural reforms will produce the intended results remains to be seen.

Access is improving for some vulnerable groups, but uptake is still wanting. Since 2024, a second enrolment queue has reserved up to 1 300 state-funded places annually for socially disadvantaged students. However, only 283 of these were taken up in the first year (LAMA BPO, 2024). Barriers include complex eligibility criteria, low awareness and administrative burdens for applicants. Nevertheless, tertiary educational attainment of 25–29 year-olds in the lowest income quintile increased from 33.2% in 2021 to 51.3% in 2023, suggesting much improved equity outcomes. Continued outreach, simpler access procedures and flexible learning pathways will be crucial for sustaining these gains.

Internationalisation continues, but there is still room for improvement. Lithuania has prioritised internationalisation to increase visibility, attract talent and diversify funding. In 2023, there were 77.6 degree-mobile graduates from non-EU countries per 1 000 graduates, significantly above the EU average (57.2). Graduates’ outward mobility is a more mixed picture, with degree mobility (10.1%) and credit mobility (5.5%) respectively outstripping (4.4%) and underperforming (6.6%) the EU averages. The RRP supports improved integration services, even though the implementation of some measures – such as improving migration procedures – remains difficult (Government of the Republic of Lithuania, 2025). RRP internationalisation projects include the design and development of joint and double degree programmes, integration scholarships, and the provision of virtual learning services. Good examples include Nordplus, the regional learning mobility programme between Nordic and Baltic countries (European Commission & PPMI, 2023). For even greater mobility, Lithuania will need to improve digital outreach, expand English-taught programmes and reduce administrative burdens for both students and institutions.

6. Adult skills and learning

Participation in adult education is improving, but remains well below the EU average. Participation of adults aged 25-64 in learning increased from 25.0% in 2016 to 27.4% in 2022, but remains below the EU average (39.5%). Adult learning is particularly low for people with non-tertiary education (12.8%), older adults (55+; 18.5%), people outside the labour market (8.4%) and people living in rural areas (23.5%). This hampers these groups’ labour market participation and their social inclusion. A recently published Lithuanian report from the OECD-conducted Survey of Adults Skills 2023 (PIAAC) also highlights negative trends in adults' basic skills (literacy, numeracy and problem solving). Average literacy and numeracy results in 2022-2023 were significantly lower than in 2014-2015 (OECD, 2024b).

In 2024 Lithuania implemented a major RRP adult learning reform. The reform introduces the one-stop shop life-long learning platform Kursuok.lt, based on individual learning accounts (ILAs), to reach the national target (53.7% adult participation in learning by 2030). In 2024, employed or self-employed people with higher education or vocational training qualifications were eligible for a grant of up to EUR 500 over five years to cover the costs of their chosen learning programme, provided it’s on the Government priority list (e.g. STEM programmes and programmes to improve digital skills).

The ILA system has become commonplace. Over 15 000 people had completed courses on the platform by March 2025. This is reflected in the latest Labour Force Survey (LFS) results, according to which adult (25-64) participation in education and training over the last 12 months was 24.7% in 2024, compared to 19.5% in 2022. However, an emerging issue is the accessibility and quality of ILA courses, which led to an audit to be carried out before the end 2025 (MoESS, 2025c). It will include an assessment of how the Qualifications and Vocational Education and Training Development Centre (QVETDC) ensures course quality. The audit’s conclusions will be taken into account by the special working group in the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport set up to improve the overall modalities of the ILA system.