The Law on Education divides formal education schools into the following groups: general education schools, vocational schools and higher education institutions. Lower secondary education is provided by general education schools − pre-gymnasiums, lower secondary education, and gymnasiums. Vocational schools can also provide lower secondary education.

General education schools – pre-gymnasiums, lower secondary education schools, gymnasiums – deliver lower secondary education. 

Pre-gymnasium. Usually a pre-gymnasium delivers the first part of the lower secondary education programme, i.e., for grades 5–8. However, the pre-gymnasium may include a broader education programme, covering not only lower secondary but also primary education, i.e., for grades 1–4. Pre-gymnasiums are not just for school-age children, adults who have not completed primary and lower secondary education may also attend.

Lower secondary education. Lower secondary education schools carry out the first part of lower secondary education for grades 5–8 and the second part for grades 9–10. These schools can also implement a broader education programme that includes primary and lower secondary education and covers grades 1–10. They are also not just for school-age children, but also adults who want to complete or acquire primary and lower secondary education according to these adult programmes.

Gymnasium. Gymnasiums usually implement the upper secondary education curriculum (grades III–IV) and the second part of the lower secondary education curriculum (grades I–II). They cater for pupils aged 15–18 years. Gymnasium schools can also implement a broader education programme that includes both parts of lower secondary and upper secondary education or that includes primary, lower secondary and upper secondary education under the following conditions if the school is:

• In an area, where there are no other general education schools offering the general education curriculum in Lithuanian and/or an ethnic minority language.
• Assigned to the outskirts of the city according to the established criteria.
• In a frontier zone.
• A non-state school.
• Caters for a region or rural pupils that have special educational needs.
• Following a specialised curriculum that requires consistency or the school is the only one in the area and bases its education programme on the elements of a unique pedagogical system.

There are also gymnasiums for adults that provide the second part of lower secondary and upper secondary education.

Vocational education and training (VET) institutions. Even though these are not general education schools, they can also provide the second part of lower secondary education. In this way, pupils can acquire a professional qualification and lower secondary education simultaneously.

Demographic issues – low birth rate and emigration – forces the school network to be reviewed constantly. The school network in Lithuania is organised according to the Rules for the Development of the Network of Schools Implementing the Formal Education Curriculum. These rules establish networking provisions, procedures for developing general plans, establish, reorganise and close schools. This network must be developed so as to provide accessible, good quality, compulsory and universal education for a reasonable price, that the state and municipalities can afford it. The municipality’s network of schools is managed by the municipality. Municipalities can cooperate when managing their school networks, but as yet, this is not a common practice.

In order to create equal opportunities for urban and rural children to acquire appropriate education, pupils are provided with free transportation from their homes to the nearest suitable school. Legislation requires, all children living in rural areas and small towns more than three kilometres from school must be transported to and from it. Transportation may be public, school-owned or private. Transportation costs are reimbursed using the funds of the institution, defined as the owner.

Students are admitted to the lower secondary education programme in accordance with the General Admission Criteria. The institution, that has the status of owner, establishes the specific admission procedures. The public agency (Mokausi Lietuvoje) administers a centralized admission system for all programmes, including preschool, pre-primary, primary, basic, secondary, non-formal children’s education, and supplementary formal education.

After primary education, pupils follow the lower secondary education programme. It lasts 6 years (first part – the first four, i.e., grades 5–8, the second one – the remaining two, i.e., grades 9–10 or gymnasium grades I–II). Pupils requesting admission to grade 5 must provide a certificate of primary education or other document proving that they have obtained primary education. If a person completes an individualised primary education programme, they must provide a certificate of primary education or a certificate of learning achievement.

Admission to municipal general education schools to follow the lower secondary education programme is given to those living in the designated area for those schools. The institution, that has the status of owner, determines the designated area. 

At school, lists are created according to the following criteria, and these children are given priority:

•    Children, who are adopted, fostered or are in care.

•    Those with significant or very significant special educational needs due to congenital or acquired disorders.

•    Anyone who has declared their place of residence in social housing provided by the municipality.

•    A child whose brothers and/or sisters already attend the school.

•    Children of teaching staff working at the school.

•    Children of specialists who are in short supply in the municipality.

•    Anyone who has lived the longest and declared their place of residence in the area assigned for the school.

If the whole territory of the municipality is assigned to the municipality school, priority for admission to the second part of the lower secondary education programme is given to:

• pupils wishing to continue studying the subjects, or subject modules that they have begun studying under the first part of the lower secondary education and
• pupils according to their learning achievement (annual assessments, implemented projects, portfolio or other assessments of learning achievement).

Examinations, tests or other methods of checking knowledge and skills cannot be conducted as part of a school admission policy, except in a few cases. Knowledge testing can be applied only if a pupil is admitted to study in arts, crafts, sports schools; and with the individual permission of the institution with founder status or its authorised representative to conduct pupil admission through a selection process.

Students are admitted from the entire municipality through a selection process based on the results of an assessment of their motivation to study in a gymnasium, that implements separate elements of a unique pedagogical system (e.g., Montessori, Waldorf, Suzuki, etc.). The pupils, their parents (guardians, caregivers) are introduced to these gymnasiums to get to know the main principles of education applied, the important curriculum and details of the learning process. If there are more applicants than places, the motivation of students and parents (guardians, caregivers) to study at such a school is evaluated.

School is compulsory for pupils up to 16 years of age. Compulsory education usually lasts until grade 10 (often, finishing lower secondary education coincides with the 16th birthday).

According to legislation, the maximum number of pupils in a general education class of lower secondary education cannot exceed 30 pupils. The size of a class depends on the type of the location (a rural area or municipal centre), and the type and size of the school.

A pupil with inherited or acquired disabilities who has special educational needs is integrated into the general education class. One pupil with special educational needs is equated to two pupils in the same class. The maximum number of pupils in the class is reduced accordingly.

In order to implement a school’s curriculum, a class can be divided into groups or temporary (mobile) groups can be formed for particular subjects. These subjects are:

• Moral education (if part of the class has chosen ethics and the other – religion).
•  computer science, engineering technology, applied technology, technology subjects, and natural science research work, based on the number of available workplaces in classrooms and laboratories.
• a foreign language, and the Lithuanian language as a state language, if there are more than 21 pupils in the class.

The school year is organised according to the general plans of the primary, lower secondary and upper secondary education curriculum for the specific school year approved by the Minister for Education, Science and Sport. 

The school year begins on 1 September and ends on 31 August of the following year. The school year consists of time for the educational process and time for holidays. The length of the school year (the length of the educational process), is 180 school days.

Pupils have holidays in the autumn, at Christmas, in the winter and at Easter. School personnel work during these school holidays (except for public holidays). The total length of these holidays is no more than 17 school days. It does not include public holidays. It is recommended to plan holidays every 7–8 school weeks. The school principal sets the holiday dates. The summer holidays start after the educational process is completed. There is no fixed date defined in the legislation as to when the summer holidays start. 

The school year is divided into trimesters, semesters or other periods. The school principal in agreement with the school council, determines the length of education periods.

The main format of the educational process is a lesson. Schools, that choose a different way of organising the educational process, for example, by project or otherwise, must coordinate it with the relevant institutions.

Pupils attend school 5 days per week. The learning load per week has to be optimal and distributed rationally. There cannot be more than 7 lessons in a school day for the lower secondary education programme. For 5th graders in the first part of a lower secondary education programme it is recommended that the minimum number of obligatory lessons be planned. It is recommended to organise fewer lessons on a Friday. There should also be time for non-formal education and for meeting pupil’s individual educational needs.

Classes start between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. If the school works in two shifts the pupils in grade 10 and gymnasium grade II attend the first shift. The beginning of lessons in the second shift is decided by the school, but all classes must end by 7 p.m.

The duration of a lesson is 45 minutes. In the case where pupils are given tests or have to carry out creative tasks, the lesson time may be adjusted but the maximum duration of uninterrupted activity should not exceed 90 minutes.

The length of breaks between the lessons must be at least 10 minutes. There must be one long break of 30 minutes or two breaks of 20 minutes each for lunch.