Teacher Qualification Certification

Here you can find a brief description of Teacher Qualification Certification procedure in Lithuania.

Teacher Preparation for Certification Procedure
A teacher who goes through the certification procedure for the first time has to hear such courses:


 * 1. specialty language (language culture);
 * 2.	courses (defined by the Ministry of Science and Education) of pedagogical - psychological knowledge for initial vocational trainers and informal child teachers without pedagogical qualification. If a person heard similar courses earlier he has to provide a proving document;
 * 3.	qualification improvement courses related to the subject training (every year). Such courses last no less than 3 days and are dedicated for teachers who deliver subjects that do not correspond to their qualification (specialty);
 * 4.	courses (defined by the Ministry of Science and Education) of special pedagogical - special psychological knowledge for teachers who work in special schools / classes / groups but have no special educator qualification. If a person heard similar courses earlier he has to provide a proving document.

If a teacher has Educology or similar Master degree, any scientific degree of the provided subject or pedagogical scientific degree, he may not hear the compulsory courses going through the certification procedure for the first time.

Certification Document Preparation and Submission for the Certification Committee
A teacher under certification renders such documents:
 * 1.	CV
 * 2.	self-analysis questionnaires;
 * 3.	certificates of compulsory qualification improvement courses (if a teacher goes through the certification procedure for the first time);
 * 4.	portfolio of documents that confirm teacher’s educational and methodological activities;
 * 5.	qualification improvement certificates;
 * 6.	recommendation (to acquire teacher methodologist or teacher expert qualification category) by municipality subject teacher methodological council;
 * 7.	recommendation (to acquire teacher expert qualification category) by educator and education employee training and qualification improvement expert committee (hereafter – expert committee);
 * 8.	vocational teacher claiming for teacher methodologist or teacher expert qualification category provides recommendation by an appropriate area expert committee;
 * 9.	other documents and material that prove teacher’s educational activity.

If a teacher goes through the certification procedure for the first time, such issues have to be estimated:
 * practical activity that lasts no less than 1 latter year (for those who claim for teacher qualification category)
 * practical activity that lasts no less than 3 latter years (for those who claim for senior teacher, teacher methodologist or teacher expert qualification category).

If a teacher goes through the certification procedure not for the first time, his activity from the last certification procedure to the latter one is being estimated.

Qualification Category Grant Order
The certification procedure is not compulsory. A teacher can go through the certification procedure of his own free will according to the order stated in Regulations and can claim to acquire any qualification category of one or more provided subjects.

A teacher can go through the certification procedure if:
 * he has no qualification category;
 * he desires to acquire a higher qualification category;
 * it is determined that teacher’s practical activity and competence does not correspond to his qualification category.

A teacher can go through the certification procedure in order to acquire a higher category no earlier than in two years after the last certification procedure.

If a teacher has a valid disciplinary punishment he can not go through the certification procedure.