“Currently zero applications.” Stembridge school in Vilnius explained how enrollment is progressing for a kindergarten group with Belarusian language instruction.

A minimum of 15 children are needed

The founders of Stembridge considered creating a kindergarten group with Belarusian language instruction back in 2022. At that time, the school conducted a survey among parents to gauge its necessity, but there was no demand then.

“We are a private institution and must focus on demand. If there is none, it’s impossible to open a group,” explains Anton Mazeyka, head of the communications department at Stembridge.

According to Anton, the situation has changed now, and many Belarusians have supported the idea. But the paradox is that as of April 24, none of them have submitted a single application. Applications are being collected until the end of June.

“Perhaps not enough time has passed yet, less than a month since we publicly announced the enrollment. So we are waiting, working, doing everything we can to ensure as many people as possible learn about the group,” says Anton.

A minimum of 15 children are needed to launch the group. Stembridge considers this number a financially sustainable scenario, guaranteeing that work can begin in September.

“This is the safest option for a start. But if there are slightly fewer applications — 12 or 13 — we will still think about how to find an opportunity to open the group,” Anton Mazeyka notes.

“Perhaps we didn't emphasize the role of the Lithuanian language enough”

This year, the Seimas of Lithuania passed a law stating that children of migrants entering municipal primary school for the first time can only study in schools with the Lithuanian language. This means that after kindergarten, one can no longer choose a municipal school with Russian as the language of instruction — only Lithuanian.

The director of Stembridge kindergarten, Volha Matskevich, notes that their group is conceived not just as an exclusively Belarusian-speaking space; Lithuanian will also be taught. The main idea is to combine the preservation of the Belarusian language with natural integration into the Lithuanian environment.

“Caring for the future of children, we understand that Belarusian-Lithuanian integration is what is needed now so that children do not feel alienated from the Lithuanian community,” says Volha.

Anton suggests that perhaps one of the reasons for the current lack of demand for their offer is that they did not emphasize the role of the Lithuanian language enough.

“Perhaps it was necessary to place more emphasis precisely on its study, while maintaining Belarusian identity.

My daughter is almost three years old, she already attends a Lithuanian kindergarten and is starting to speak Lithuanian. At the same time, she naturally mixes Belarusian and Lithuanian in one sentence. And many other parents report the same thing. We perceive this as a plus — as a sign of a vibrant multilingual environment,” says Anton.

Full day – 550 euros per month

This year, Stembridge kindergarten moved to new premises at Žalgirio g. 135 in Vilnius. Next door, the Lithuanian kindergarten Gervuogė operates, and children share common play areas. The school believes this is an important advantage: language will be perceived not as a separate subject, but as a natural means of communication.

“Initially, we organized holidays in Belarusian (Christmas, Maslenitsa, Gukannie Viasny, and others), but then many children from different countries arrived, so now we integrate holidays with Lithuanian celebrations, drawing parallels for each country our children come from. We talk a lot about the traditions and celebrations of Lithuania,” she recounts.

The cost of attendance depends on the format. Until 12:30 PM — 360 euros per month, until 4:00 PM — 480 euros, full day (until 6:30 PM) — 550 euros.

For families in Vilnius, there is a municipal compensation of 120 euros if a child attends a private kindergarten instead of a state one. Thus, a full day can cost about 430 euros after compensation.

The organizers admit that this is a significant sum for many Belarusian families in emigration. But they emphasize: the cost is associated with premises rental, teachers' salaries, and the daily operation of the kindergarten. By the way, Stembridge has already found two Belarusian-speaking educators.

If the required number of applications is not collected by the end of June, the group may not open. But Stembridge says they will not abandon the idea itself.

“We will think about what can be changed and propose a different format. For us, this is not a one-time attempt, but a long-term perspective,” says Anton Mazeyka.

You can apply for the group with Belarusian language instruction here.

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