ISSN 0798 1015 HOME Revista ESPACIOS ÍNDICES / Index A LOS AUTORES / To the ! ! AUTORS ! Vol. 40 (Number 26) Year 2019. Page 11 Problems in managing the implementation of education policy in Lithuania: The role of small municipalities Problemas en la gestión de la aplicación de la política de educación en Lituania: El papel de los pequeños municipios SMALSKYS, Vainius 1; STASIUKYNAS, Andrius 2; GAVKALOVA, Nataliia L. 3 & LASEVIČIŪTĖ, Ugnė 4 Received: 05/04/2019 • Approved: 24/06/2019 • Published 29/07/2019 Contents 1. Introduction 2. Methodology 3. Results 4. Conclusions Bibliographic references ABSTRACT: RESUMEN: This article examines the competencies of local Este artículo examina las competencias de las authorities and how they are being applied in autoridades locales y cómo se aplican en el ámbito de education arena, with reference to prevailing laws and la educación, con referencia a las leyes vigentes y los the planning documents that a local authority must documentos de planificación que una autoridad local adhere to. The paper explores the major problems debe cumplir. El documento explora los principales they confront while managing education in their problemas que enfrentan al administrar la educación jurisdictions. The article concludes that input from en sus jurisdicciones. El artículo concluye que se parents and the wider public is needed if the New necesita la participación de los padres y del público en Public Management principles are to be successfully general para que los principios de la Nueva Gestión implemented. Pública se implementen con éxito. Keywords: local authorities, local self - government, Palabras clave: Autoridades locales; Autogobierno education, public local; Educación; Administración Pública 1. Introduction According to the European Charter of Local Self-Government, local authorities have a wide ranging legal responsibility for the regulation and management of certain public matters that fall within their jurisdiction, and which are in the public interest (European Charter of Local Self-Governement, 1985). The dynamic of changed social and/or political conditions affects every level of government and its ability to manage its responsibilities (Parado, 2005). In the case of Lithuania, interaction frequently takes the form of the delegation by the central authorities of certain responsibilities to local government (Lopez, 2007). This practice is shared by many other European countries, including Latvia, Spain, Slovak Republic, etc. With 60 separate municipalities across Lithuania, the central government delegates matters that affect the everyday lives of people at local community level, including: budget, pre- school, primary and secondary education, civil protection, culture, environment, sanitation, housing, transport, labour market and promotion of entrepreneurship, primary health care and others. At the city level in Lithuania, local authorities are responsible for almost all of the educational institutions such as libraries, music schools, youth centers, and school equipment. Schools as educational institutions, however, are a different matter, with the state continuing to implement national policy at local level through its own administrative machinery. The impact is both widespread and costly in terms of the harmonious and efficient working of two distinct levels of government. Integrating the work of the respective parties is financially costly and has to be accommodated alongside other threats with which other areas of local government must contend” (Weis, 2009). Currently in Lithuania, decision-making and various functions of the state are transferred into the hands of the local authorities. Thus, municipalities in Lithuania are legally empowered to make their own decisions on a wide range of public policy matters and their implementation without intervention from the national government. Such decentralization involves the transfer of political, administrative and fiscal authority from the central government to the local governments and authorities (Klemm, 2008). In 2002, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) recommended further decentralization of education system that would grant municipalities and educational institutions more power to make their own decisions. Decentralization processes, however, are complex, and in most cases require a paradigm shift in public management. Decentralization is a strategy, i.e. a means of enhancing the quality and relevance of education and improving its administration (UNESCO, 2005). Whilst decentralization of Lithuania’s education system might appear sufficiently advanced, the reality is that local authorities fail to make decisions that produce quality outcomes in education. The nation’s educational philosophy is informed by the widely-held belief in free education, and its approach remains pedocentric or child-oriented. Yet, the move towards decentralization of education is inherently expensive (Lietuvos Respublikos Švietimo ir mokslo ministerija, 2011). Local authorities in educational management are regarded as administrators responsible for the provision of, say, school equipment and buildings, but not the quality of the education that pupils receive. Herein, lies an apparent contradiction; investing the local authority with greater powers to decide on matters of educational management does not necessarily mean an end to serious planning errors and poor practices at the local level. Clearly, to mitigate this scenario, planning, organization, coordination, control, financing and public involvement are highly desirable. Although local authorities in Lithuania are able to make decisions without permission from central government. In many other European countries the pattern of decentralisation continues to have enormous influence. For example, in Spain the devolution process has benefited the regional level, whereas in France the local level has been the main beneficiary. In Germany, the role of NGOs in delivering certain types of services and the role of municipalities in public utilities is greater than in other countries (Parado, 2005). Demographic changes and the challenge of globalization demands a rapid and logical response to how education is managed, as well as the role of local authorities in the process. Abel (2008) posed the questions: “how can we ensure the balanced provision of schooling in all parts of the country? How should discrepancies between 'poor' and 'rich' communities be balanced? How to prevent educational standards from diverging between local authorities?” (Abel, 2008) The aforementioned questions confirm the topicality of this research, but also serve to remind us that processes underpinning the implementation of education policy deserve far more attention. Thorough planning, organizing, coordination, control and public involvement help to ensure the balanced provision of schooling and the implementation of education, although these factors should not be taken in the formal manner. 1.1. Aims The aim of the article is to compare two neighboring local authorities in how they deal with educational management, and to examine the competences of local authorities and their implementation in the field of education with reference to legal aspects and official planning documents that each local authorities must prepare. The paper analyzes how educational competence (pre-school, primary and secondary education) is carried out by two small Lithuanian local authorities: Druskininkai Town and Lazdijai District, and the major problems they confront while managing the education process in their territories. 2. Methodology For the research data collection the following methods of data analysis were used: Document analysis. Selected data sources: European Union legislation; scientific books and journals; press releases; operational and strategic documents, etc. Document analysis is focused on the municipal strategic and planning documents and their reports, the education section of the annual and monthly action plans that reflect municipal planning in education: objectives and results to be achieved. Structured interview. Nine experts were interviewed. Four from each municipal administrations and one from the Lithuanian Association of Local Authorities. The experts were selected on the basis of their experience and position in educational administration. Qualitative content analysis. The analytical material consists of the text obtained by using various data collection methods (legislative analysis, interviews, document analysis, etc.). The method of literature analysis is applicable to the analysis of the education sector legislation (laws, regulations), which are defined by the municipal area of education. 3. Results 3.1. Lithuanian Education in Legal Regulation of Public Administration The experience of Lithuania bears similarities with other countries, yet there are particular challenges, the most pressing of which include the decline in population and with it a decline in the use of education service (see. Figure no. 1). This is especially dramatic in small local authorities, i.e. small municipalities with a population of between5000-22000 inhabitants and are represented in this study by the two neighboring municipalities of Lazdijai and Druskininkaiin the Alytus district. Lazdijai district municipality has a population 21251, and Druskininkai 20947 inhabitants. Figure 1 Population in Lithuania 2010 - 2016. Compiled by the authors with reference to the Lithuanian Department of Statistis. The education