Assessment of lifelong learning

Gaining experience, learning and development opportunities are among the most important values that are becoming increasingly important as life expectancy increases and retirement becomes later in life. The knowledge and skills acquired at school or university are not sufficient to last a lifetime, therefore continuous learning and the development of competences are essential for a successful professional and social life.

In Lithuania, lifelong learning is changing positively, but slowly. The lifelong learning rate among the population aged 25-64 is 8.5%, compared to an EU average of 10.8%. Even lower, at only 3.8%, is the rate among those who have left the labour market. Lithuania is among the last countries in the EU with the lowest participation rates, with only Poland and Romania having lower rates.

The results of the National Audit Office's assessment of lifelong learning show that a functioning, user-friendly and socially attractive adult lifelong learning system has not yet been established, although the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport started to develop one in 2013. One of the factors contributing to the low number of adult learners is the complexity of balancing learning, personal life and work commitments and the cost of training.

"In order to get more adults to choose to learn, it is essential to provide more information to the public about the importance and benefits of learning, career guidance, funding opportunities and the range of programmes on offer, and to build people's learning habits," said audit team leader Eivida Šlamė.