In the first reading, the Lithuanian Seimas supported the legislative initiative, which provides for the expansion of the compulsory course on citizenship and defense training for schoolchildren. About this informs Delphi.
According to the proposal, the defense skills course will be taught not only to 9th grade students, as it was before, but to all students from 5th to 12th grade. The initiator of the changes was the leader of Lithuanian conservatives, Laurinas Kaschyunas. He proposed to start introducing the course already from the next school year — from the 10th grades, and then to extend it to students of the 5th-8th, as well as the 11th-12th grades.
The ultimate goal is to introduce a full-fledged program of citizenship and defense training in all schools of the country by 2028. The program was prepared by the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports of Lithuania together with the Ministry of National Defense and the Union of Riflemen. It aims to deepen the understanding of national security issues, the role of the citizen in the defense of the state, as well as to provide schoolchildren with practical skills.
During the three-day field training, students learn the basics of survival, emergency response, first aid and ways to avoid danger to life and health. In addition to the defense skills course, there is already a mandatory subject “Basics of Citizenship” in grades 9-10. For students of grades 11-12, there is an opportunity to study the general course “National security and national defense”.
Also, schoolchildren can, if they wish, join the ranks of scouts or the Rifle Association, and those who plan a military career can enroll in cadet educational institutions. The organization of training is provided by the Rifle Association, and the course is taught by reservists, members of the organization and professional military personnel.
