A few years ago, only about 50% of students from each class took up education at schools allowing for the possibility of passing high school final exams. Today, upon graduating from a junior high, such schools are chosen by 80% of students. To live up to their expectations, schools must be modern, friendly, and effective. The government focuses on the introduction of modern curricula taking into account the individual approach towards each student in accordance with their needs and interests, popularization of preschools, lowering of the school age, as well as the improvement of primary school infrastructure and teacher salaries.
Modern Curriculum Base
The curriculum reform aims at letting students develop their individual talents and interests. It makes it possible for schools to expand the use of modern teaching technologies, computer programs and learning tools. The new approach disposes of the overloaded curricula. Thanks to combining curricula at the successive education levels, the students commencing education at a post junior high school internalize new information instead of repeating content they learned at their junior high school. For example, students will learn the history of Poland and the world until 1918 in a junior high school, while the history covering the period from the end of the First World War until the present day will be taught in the first grade of a post junior high school.
In the 2009/2010 school year, the reform covered preschools, plus first grades of elementary schools and junior highs. This school year, the new curriculum is valid also for the second grades of elementary and junior high schools. It will gradually cover all the grades over the next years. The curriculum reform will have been completed in high and vocational schools by 2015, in technical schools and artistic high schools by 2016, and one year later in complementary high schools.
Individual Approach to Students
In accordance with the EU program „Individualization of the teaching process and student upbringing in grades I-III”, each I-III class student in a primary school will have access to additional classes, including logopedic, socio-therapeutic and psycho-educational training, in line with their individual needs and abilities. Moreover, schools will make more use of the so-called activation teaching methods, offering psycho-pedagogical support for the students. In addition, the program framework makes it possible for schools to purchase additional didactic equipment.
Self-governments will receive more than PLN 624 million to execute the program. In 2010, the project was implemented in 9 provinces: kujawsko-pomorskie, lubelskie, lubuskie, dolnośląskie, opolskie, podkarpackie, podlaskie, świętokrzyskie, and wielkopolskie. The other provincial self-governments will be dealing with its implementation within the next few years.
Lowering of the School Age
In most European countries, children start going to school at the age of 6. In the UK, Holland, and Malta, they do so when they are 5. On account of starting their education at an earlier age, children are better prepared and have more chances of developing individual and social skills. Frequently, the lowering of the school age becomes an opportunity to level educational gaps at the earliest possible stage.
Since the 2009/2010 school year such an opportunity has also been given to the Polish children. The government-amended education act, entitling 6-year-olds to learn at school and 5-year-olds to go to preschools, has been in force since April 2009.
Preschool Popularization
Actions undertaken by the government have led to the popularization of preschool education. It rose by 20% among children aged 3-5 between 2007 and 2009. At present, 64% of children from that age group go to kindergartens. By way of comparison, only 44% did so in the 2006/2007 school year. Access to preschool education has also increased in the countryside. It covers over 43% of children living in villages, as compared to 23% in the 2006/2007 school year. According to the government’s plans, 80% of all the children aged 3-5 will be attending kindergarten in 2012.
At the same time, the number of preschool places is on the rise. Over 190 thousand new preschool places were created between 2008 and 2010. By way of comparison, this number amounted to less than 30 thousand between 2006 and 2007. These changes result from the new legal regulations including the preschool guarantee for the 5 year olds and allowing for the possibility of setting up other forms of preschool education. The EU funds have also been helpful.
Playground in Nielepice built within the framework of the “Joyful school” programme envisaging financial support for the construction of playgrounds and equipping them with teaching aids.The “Joyful School” Program
The government program called “Joyful School” was created for the youngest students. It stipulates financial support for building playgrounds and equipping playing spots in primary schools with didactic tools. Accordingly, schools will receive over PLN 2.5 million until 2014. Since September 2010 almost 80% of Polish primary schools have had playing spots equipped with didactic tools. The financial contribution of schools amounts to 50% of costs necessary for setting up playing spots, while the cost of purchasing didactic tools is financed in its entirety by the state budget, up to PLN 6 or 12 thousand, depending on the number of students in grades I-III. In September 2010 80% of schools have equipped its playgrounds in didactic tools.
Salary Raises for Teachers
Rising expectations and educational ambitions of pupils are related to stricter requirements for teachers who make a great impact on the quality of learning and the degree of young people’s readiness to keep on studying or staring a professional career. Therefore, it is this government's priority to raise teachers’ salaries. The 2008 state budget stipulated a 10% increase of teachers' remuneration. More raises took place in 2009. The salaries of all teachers – notwithstanding their job seniority – rose by 5% in January and another 5% in September. Since 1 September 2010 teachers’ salaries have increased by an additional 7%. The average teacher remuneration in September 2010 was 30% higher than in 2007, while the salaries of the least experienced educators rose by almost 60%. In September 2011, teachers are about to benefit from another 7% raise. The remuneration will keep rising over the next years, the size of the increases depending on the budget conditions. It has been the intention of this government to raise teacher salaries by 50% on the average between 2007 and 2012.
Compensatory Benefits for Teachers
Apart from higher wages, senior educators have kept a part of their pension benefits. Pursuant to the act on the compensatory benefits for teachers, since 1 July 2009 teachers, educators and other pedagogical workers have had the right to end their professional activity earlier than the retirement age i.e. before 60 (women) and 65 (men). Until they reach the retirement age, senior teachers (30 years of work, including 20 years of working as a teacher) may be paid compensatory benefits, by the state budget, in the amount equal to the bridge pension payable to people employed under particular conditions or performing particular work.
Modern Curriculum Base
The curriculum reform aims at letting students develop their individual talents and interests. It makes it possible for schools to expand the use of modern teaching technologies, computer programs and learning tools. The new approach disposes of the overloaded curricula. Thanks to combining curricula at the successive education levels, the students commencing education at a post junior high school internalize new information instead of repeating content they learned at their junior high school. For example, students will learn the history of Poland and the world until 1918 in a junior high school, while the history covering the period from the end of the First World War until the present day will be taught in the first grade of a post junior high school.
In the 2009/2010 school year, the reform covered preschools, plus first grades of elementary schools and junior highs. This school year, the new curriculum is valid also for the second grades of elementary and junior high schools. It will gradually cover all the grades over the next years. The curriculum reform will have been completed in high and vocational schools by 2015, in technical schools and artistic high schools by 2016, and one year later in complementary high schools.
Individual Approach to Students
In accordance with the EU program „Individualization of the teaching process and student upbringing in grades I-III”, each I-III class student in a primary school will have access to additional classes, including logopedic, socio-therapeutic and psycho-educational training, in line with their individual needs and abilities. Moreover, schools will make more use of the so-called activation teaching methods, offering psycho-pedagogical support for the students. In addition, the program framework makes it possible for schools to purchase additional didactic equipment.
Self-governments will receive more than PLN 624 million to execute the program. In 2010, the project was implemented in 9 provinces: kujawsko-pomorskie, lubelskie, lubuskie, dolnośląskie, opolskie, podkarpackie, podlaskie, świętokrzyskie, and wielkopolskie. The other provincial self-governments will be dealing with its implementation within the next few years.
Lowering of the School Age
In most European countries, children start going to school at the age of 6. In the UK, Holland, and Malta, they do so when they are 5. On account of starting their education at an earlier age, children are better prepared and have more chances of developing individual and social skills. Frequently, the lowering of the school age becomes an opportunity to level educational gaps at the earliest possible stage.
Since the 2009/2010 school year such an opportunity has also been given to the Polish children. The government-amended education act, entitling 6-year-olds to learn at school and 5-year-olds to go to preschools, has been in force since April 2009.
Preschool Popularization
Actions undertaken by the government have led to the popularization of preschool education. It rose by 20% among children aged 3-5 between 2007 and 2009. At present, 64% of children from that age group go to kindergartens. By way of comparison, only 44% did so in the 2006/2007 school year. Access to preschool education has also increased in the countryside. It covers over 43% of children living in villages, as compared to 23% in the 2006/2007 school year. According to the government’s plans, 80% of all the children aged 3-5 will be attending kindergarten in 2012.
At the same time, the number of preschool places is on the rise. Over 190 thousand new preschool places were created between 2008 and 2010. By way of comparison, this number amounted to less than 30 thousand between 2006 and 2007. These changes result from the new legal regulations including the preschool guarantee for the 5 year olds and allowing for the possibility of setting up other forms of preschool education. The EU funds have also been helpful.
Playground in Nielepice built within the framework of the “Joyful school” programme envisaging financial support for the construction of playgrounds and equipping them with teaching aids.The “Joyful School” ProgramThe government program called “Joyful School” was created for the youngest students. It stipulates financial support for building playgrounds and equipping playing spots in primary schools with didactic tools. Accordingly, schools will receive over PLN 2.5 million until 2014. Since September 2010 almost 80% of Polish primary schools have had playing spots equipped with didactic tools. The financial contribution of schools amounts to 50% of costs necessary for setting up playing spots, while the cost of purchasing didactic tools is financed in its entirety by the state budget, up to PLN 6 or 12 thousand, depending on the number of students in grades I-III. In September 2010 80% of schools have equipped its playgrounds in didactic tools.
Salary Raises for Teachers
Rising expectations and educational ambitions of pupils are related to stricter requirements for teachers who make a great impact on the quality of learning and the degree of young people’s readiness to keep on studying or staring a professional career. Therefore, it is this government's priority to raise teachers’ salaries. The 2008 state budget stipulated a 10% increase of teachers' remuneration. More raises took place in 2009. The salaries of all teachers – notwithstanding their job seniority – rose by 5% in January and another 5% in September. Since 1 September 2010 teachers’ salaries have increased by an additional 7%. The average teacher remuneration in September 2010 was 30% higher than in 2007, while the salaries of the least experienced educators rose by almost 60%. In September 2011, teachers are about to benefit from another 7% raise. The remuneration will keep rising over the next years, the size of the increases depending on the budget conditions. It has been the intention of this government to raise teacher salaries by 50% on the average between 2007 and 2012.
Compensatory Benefits for Teachers
Apart from higher wages, senior educators have kept a part of their pension benefits. Pursuant to the act on the compensatory benefits for teachers, since 1 July 2009 teachers, educators and other pedagogical workers have had the right to end their professional activity earlier than the retirement age i.e. before 60 (women) and 65 (men). Until they reach the retirement age, senior teachers (30 years of work, including 20 years of working as a teacher) may be paid compensatory benefits, by the state budget, in the amount equal to the bridge pension payable to people employed under particular conditions or performing particular work.