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<\/figure>\nParents’ right to choose is meaningful only when real alternatives exist.<\/h3>\n
Formal freedom of choice changes little if other schools are too far away, too expensive or fail to provide good quality education. For educational diversity to contribute to social mobility, alternatives must also be accessible to lower income families. Choice also requires reliable information about the quality and results of schools.<\/p>\n
School diversity must be compatible with common standards.<\/h3>\n
Parents’ right to choose their children’s education does not remove the state’s responsibility to set minimum requirements and to ensure accountability for public funding. The example of the Netherlands, mentioned in the discussion, shows that religious, Montessori and other types of schools can be combined with common educational requirements. It is also important to understand that a school’s formal status does not in itself guarantee better results.<\/p>\n
Critical thinking requires concrete knowledge.<\/h3>\n
The ability to evaluate information rests on knowledge of the subject, so developing general skills cannot replace knowledge. A concrete discussion is needed about which books children should read and what core knowledge of mathematics and other subjects they should acquire. Easy access to information online and the use of artificial intelligence do not remove this need.<\/p>\n The idea of the \u201cmirror\u201d covers a child’s language, culture, family environment and heritage, while the \u201cwindow\u201d stands for encountering other cultures and perspectives. Balancing these two functions is especially important when considering the education of national, religious and other minorities: nurturing cultural identity should not isolate young people within a single identity, but, by helping them understand their own identity, prepare them to participate fully in society.<\/p>\n Poverty, the family environment, social media and smartphone use affect pupils’ concentration and learning. Parental involvement includes not only formal communication with the school but also everyday conversations about learning. A wide gap between the experience of school and that of the family or community can weaken a pupil’s sense of belonging at school.<\/p>\n![\"Opening](\"https:\/\/edi.lt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/svietimo-forumas-2026-atidarymas.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nEducation should help children both preserve their identity and get to know the wider world.<\/h3>\n
Learning is also shaped by what happens outside school.<\/h3>\n
It is time for Lithuania to ban smartphone use in schools for children under 16, as many European countries already do.<\/h3>\n
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