Pre-primary educationPreschool education (Wychowanie przedszkolne) is part of the formal system of education in Poland. There is a well-established network of state preschools that children may attend between ages three and six. Formal school education before age 7 is not compulsory, but currently 97 percent of the nation's children attend. Preschool education is designed to aid child development, promote personal independence, and instill a sense of confidence in one's self and abilities. Preschool education helps those between the ages of three and five develop communication and social skills, so they can cope with any situation. Parents may participate in arranging activities.

Since 1999, following a reform of the system of education there are the following types of schools in Poland:•6-year primary school •3-year gymnasium

post-gymnasium schools: •3-year specialized lyceum •3-year general lyceum •4-year technical secondary school •2 or 3-year vocational school •2-year complementary lyceum •3-year complementary technical secondary school.

The total number of years of primary and secondary education is 12 or 13. At the end of the secondary education cycle students can take the maturity examination - egzamin dojrzałości (matura), i.e. standardised national secondary school achievement examination, and receive the maturity certificate - świadectwo dojrzałości. Education in Poland is compulsory until the age of 18. Full-time compulsory education starts during the calendar year in which the child reaches 7 years of age and lasts until the end of the gimnasium - lower secondary school, yet no longer then he/she reaches 18 years of age. Attending of both primary and lower secondary schools is obligatory.

Primary Education

Teaching at this stage is arranged in subjects listed in the outline timetable: Polish language, history and civics, modern foreign language, mathematics, natural science, music, art, technology, computer sciences, physical education, religion or ethics.

The reformed 6-year primary school, introduced in the school year 1999/2000 under the Act of 8 January 1999 on the Implementation of the Education System Reform, is divided into 2 stages:

• Stage I covers grades 1,2 and 3, and is called integrated teaching Teaching at this stage is designed to ensure smooth transition from pre-school to school education.

• Stage II covers grades 4,5 and 6.

Secondary EducationLower Secondary

Education: Gymnasium offers 3-

years of full-time general lower

secondary education for pupilshe

gymnasium is targeted at pupils

aged 13 to 16 and is considered the last stage (Stage 3) of

general compulsory education.

Upper Secondary Education: the age of

pupils in upper secondary

education is between 16 and

18/19/20 years. The upper secondary education

is not divided into cycles.

Since the school year 2002/03 the following post-gymnasium schools are operational: zasadnicze szkoly zawodowe (basic vocational schools, pupils aged 16 to 18/19) - duration 2 to 3 years, the graduates receive a diploma confirming vocational qualifications upon passing of an exam, it is possible to continue education in a :• 2-year supplementary

general lyceum or in a 3-year supplementary technicum. • 3- year licea

ogólnoksztalcace (general secondary schools, pupils aged 16 to 19) which enable pupils to take the Matura exam and obtain a swiadectwo dojrzalosci.

3-year licea profiloane (subject oriented secondary schools, pupils aged 16 to 19) - teaching is carried out in the general profiles of vocational training, it enables the pupils to take the Matura exam and obtain a swiadectwo dojrzalosci.

4-year technika (vocational secondary schools, pupils aged 16 to 20) which enable pupils to obtain a vocational qualifications diploma upon passing of an exam, and to take the Matura exam and obtain a swiadectwo dojrzalosci.

2-year uzupelniajace licea ogólniksztalcace (supplementary general secondary schools, pupils aged 18/19 to 20/21) for basic vocational schools' leavers which enable pupils to take the Matura exam and obtain a swiadectwo dojrzalosci.

3-year technika uzupelniajace (supplementary secondary vocational schools, pupils aged 18/19 to 21/22) for graduates of basic vocational schools which enables pupils to take the Matura exam and obtain a swiadectwo dojrzalosci, as well as to obtain a vocational qualifications diploma upon passing of an exam.

Post-Secondary (non-Tertiary) Education

Post-secondary schools admit graduates of general secondary schools based on a secondary school leaving certificate. The age of pupils is between 19 - 20/21.

Post-secondary schools provide courses within the following groups of branches: teacher education, arts, economics and administration, medical studies, technology, agriculture, forestry and fishery, transport and communication, hotel services and computing. The most popular branches include: teacher education, economics, library science, hotel services and computing.

Duration of education depends on a type of occupation and for majority of them is 2- 2,5 years.

Tertiary Education

In the academic year 2002/2003 there were 395 higher education, of which 125 were state and 270 were non-state institutions. Higher education institutions are targeted at teaching students at the vocational or Master degree level and at preparing them for commencement of their professional careers. Academic higher education institutions also carry out scientific research (or create works of art) and train doctoral students for research, artistic activities and teaching.

The following types of higher education institutions may be distinguished in the Polish system (including non-state institutions): •universities •technical universities •agricultural schools •schools of economics, •teacher education schools •medical academies •maritime schools, •academies of physical education, •schools of arts •school of theology, •non-state schools of higher education.

Tertiary Education Diploma

Schools of higher education have a right to confer the following professional titles:

magister - conferred to graduates of Master Degree courses in humanities, natural sciences, maths, physics, chemistry, physical education, economics, social studies and law.

magister inzynier - conferred to the graduates of Master Degree courses in technical areas, apart from town architecture, in agriculture, forestry, and in other areas where more than 50% of teaching hours are devoted to technical or agricultural subjects;

lekarz - conferred to the graduates of physician training studies;

inzynier - conferred to the graduates of vocational studies in technical areas, apart from town architecture, in agriculture, forestry, and in other areas where more than 50% of teaching hours are devoted to technical or agricultural subjects;

licencjat - conferred to graduates of vocational studies in humanities, natural sciences, maths, physics, chemistry, physical education, economics, social studies and law, as well as in medical science apart from nursing and midwifery;

In order to obtain the titles listed above a student has to collect passes from all the subjects and practical placements envisaged in the study programme, as well as present and defend a diploma thesis and pass a diploma examination. Neither diploma thesis nor the diploma examination are required from the students of medical sciences (physicians), dentistry and veterinary sciences.

THE END

Arkadiusz P.