Waldorf School Vilnius

After the first Lithuanian educators had studied Waldorf education, they founded the Waldorf school Vilnius in 1995. 2001 there already were seven grades with 93 children and at the end of 2006 the school had 12 grades with 196 pupils. In spring 2007 the founding class had their final exams.

Lithuanias capital city Vilnius has around 580.000 inhabitants. The university of Vilnius was founded 1579 and is one of the oldest in Eastern and North Europe.

1989 two lecturers of the Pedagogical Academy and 10 parents and teachers went to Tallinn and Moskau to study Waldorf education. After that some of them travelled to Germany and on the other side educators from Germany and Denmark went to Vilnius.

These were the beginnings of the Waldorf school Vilnius, which opened in September 1995 with a first class. Each year another class was added. 2001 there were 7 grades with 93 children. During the last years the growth has been stronger, and today the school has 12 grades with 196 pupils. In spring 2007 the founding class did their final exams - the first seven Waldorf graduates in Lithuania.

On the way to independence

For a long time the primary (1-4) und other grades have been located in two different state schools. Activities of all parents and teachers led to the result that 2004 the education law was changed: Now the parents have free choice of the school form. The law granted a diversity of school forms and their integration into the school system.

The Waldorf school Vilnius could start its way into independence - as free school, which is no longer part of a state school. In March 2006 the school was recognised as self-governing Waldorf school with independent curriculum. As a public institutions the school is further on getting state subsidies, at the moment 46% (26% for salaries - no Eurythmy, no two foreign languages from class 1 etc. - and 20 % of the material costs).

In the beginning of 2007 we are still negotiating the amount of state support - and also the long-term use of the kindergarden building we use since the very first time. 

The school fees are 32 Euro, the average salary in Lithuania is about 300 Euro. Many of our families have more than two children and most families can´t afford the school fees in total.

Rita Kaminskaite (übersetzt hn)