Lithuanian parliament rejects proposal to include sign language as elective school subject

The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, has rejected a proposal to include sign language as an elective subject in general education schools, LRT reports.

The draft amendment, submitted by MP Ligita Girskienė, sought to allow students to choose sign language alongside other elective subjects. However, the Seimas Education and Science Committee recommended its rejection during the deliberation process. The motion passed with 78 MPs in favour, five against, and 19 abstentions.

Ingrida Braziulienė, a committee member, argued that existing legal regulations already permit schools to include sign language in their curricula without amending the law. She stated that sign language education could be expanded by updating curriculum descriptions, developing general programmes, and adjusting education plans accordingly.

The government had previously issued a negative assessment of the proposal, stating it did not align with legislative principles and was redundant.

Girskienė had proposed amending the Education Law to allow students to study elective subjects, including sign language, if schools had the capacity to organise such teaching. She framed the initiative as a way to promote the sign language interpreter profession and fulfil Lithuania’s international human rights obligations in national education policy.

According to the explanatory note of the draft, only a few Lithuanian sign language interpreters are trained annually. Meanwhile, data from the Ministry of Social Security and Labour indicates that approximately 6,600 people with hearing impairments live in Lithuania.