Deutsche Schule Vilnius, a school for children of the German military personnel deployed to serve in Lithuania, as well as pre-school and pre-primary education groups in modular premises next to the Lithuanian Education Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, were inaugurated this September. The school was established and education provided on funds of the state of Lithuania.
“The stationing of the German Brigade in Lithuania concerns not just military aspects of it but also welfare of the German military families. We are completing the largest military infrastructure development project in the history of independent Lithuania, the Rūdninkai Campus to accommodate the German Brigade, faster than it has been estimated. At the same time, we partner with other institutions to ensure clockwork care of civilian services as well. This is yet another step on the way of strengthening our strategic partnership,” says D. Šakalienė.
Today, the Deutsche Schule Vilnius was inaugurated by Minister of National Defence Dovilė Šakalienė, Minister of Education, Science and Sport Raminta Popovienė, State Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Defence Nils Hilmer, and Mayor of Vilnius Valdas Benkunskas.
“We all are aware how important the stationing of the German Brigade is. It is accompanied by another vital job to ensure civilian services for the deploying military personnel and their families. The assignment for our Ministry is to take care of children’s education. I am happy to see that our cooperation with city councils who are majorly responsible for developing and adjusting the required education infrastructure is already giving tangible results. We are deeply grateful to the municipalities for the fluent cooperation,” says Minister of Education, Science and Sport Raminta Popovienė.
State Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Defence Nils Hilmer underscored that the Deutsche Schule availability was especially important to the military families who committed to come to Lithuania.
“This school is more than just a site for studying. It is like a home to our children ad a guarantee of safety to our families. The school combines quality education with the sense of community and security. I wish to express my sincere gratitude for our Lithuanian partners for their active support and fast infrastructure development,” says N. Hilmer.
Monika Arens, the Deutsche Schule Vilnius Principal, praised opening of the school as an availability of routine life for the military families after relocation.
“We wish to offer our pupils a way to maintain their bond with the homeland while also developing their openness and curiosity – vital qualities in a diverse society,” Principal stated.
According to Mayor of Vilnius Valdas Benkunskas, the start of Deutsche Schule Vilnius is a substantial step towards a stronger bilateral partnership and in ensuring a fluent settlement of the arriving German families. “Our team has worked countless hours to make sure the school and kindergarten are opened today. We appreciate the importance of the German decision and will respond to every, even the smallest need, in a way that they can feel as comfortable as at home in return,” Mayor underscored.
This year, only the primary school pupils kicked off the school year in Vilnius. Two composite primary education classes, specifically, with 17 schoolchildren, with the number likely to increase as the Brigade arrives further through the school year. The children are taught German curricula by teachers from German. 5–11 grades are planned to be added next year as well. Schoolchildren of higher grades from the German military families are studying in different private schools in Vilnius.
The pre-school and pre-primary education groups include 30 pupils taught by qualified German-speaking Lithuanian teachers. Twenty more German kids received education at Kindergarten Dainorėliai in Vilnius.
The Government has dedicated nearly EUR 1.9 million for the required education infrastructure in Kaunas and Vilnius this year.
In Vilnius, the funds are earmarked for refurbishment and adaptation of the premises of Lithuanian Education Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired , development of new infrastructure, environment adjustments, safety measures, acquisition of equipment and means, etc.
In Kaunas, the children of the military families of the German Brigade, will be taught at Aleksandras Stulginskis – the first pre-school and pre-primary pupils are planned to arrive in 2026, therefore the funds will be used to adapt the premises and a technical design of an overhaul of another future school-kindergarten for German kids (in Verkių g., Kaunas).
A separate school for the German military kids is planned to be built in Vilnius as well.
The number of German pupils in Lithuania is planned to increase starting September 2026. It is expected to reach approx. 500 in Vilnius starting 2027.
