VILNIUS - Lithuanian schools facing teacher shortages will be allowed to hire specialists from other fields and foreign native speakers with higher education to teach European Union languages from this year.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Sport said individuals holding at least a C1-level language proficiency certificate would be eligible to teach English, German, French, Spanish and Polish.

Under the new regulations, these specialists will be required to obtain pedagogical qualifications within two years of starting work, while subject-specific competencies must be acquired within four years.

The ministry said the decision aims to address shortages of foreign language teachers, particularly in regional areas, and improve the quality of instruction. From September 2026, Spanish will be added to the list of primary foreign language options alongside English, French and German.