What is Lower Secondary Education?

After completing primary school and obtaining a certificate of primary education, students enter the lower secondary education programme, which lasts six years. The curriculum is divided into two parts: Part I spans four years (Grades 5–8), while Part II consists of two years (Grades 9–10).

The purpose of lower secondary education is to lay the foundations for moral, socio-cultural, and civic maturity, to develop civic and national self-awareness, as well as to cultivate both general and subject-specific competences essential for further learning and a meaningful, active life. At this level, students study moral education (ethics or religion), their mother tongue, mathematics, a first foreign language (English), information technology, natural sciences, biology, chemistry, physics, history, citizenship education, geography, design and technology, economics and entrepreneurship, music, art, health and safety, physical education, and life skills. From Grade 5 onwards, they also choose a second foreign language (Spanish, French, or German).

After completing the lower secondary curriculum and in order to obtain a lower secondary education qualification, students must take the Lower Secondary Achievement Test. Completion of compulsory tests in Lithuanian and mathematics is required, too. After finishing lower secondary education, adolescents can continue their studies in upper secondary education or vocational training.