Kindergarten is for children at the age of 3 to 6. However, the last year, which is called “zerówka” (“zero class”) is obligatory and it somehow prepares kids to school.

Primary Education

Szkoła podstawowa (primary school) lasts 6 years and 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. At this stage children are taught by only one teacher.
Stage II covers grades 4,5 and 6. The teachers change depending on the subject. There is also one special teacher – wychowawca (home-room teacher) who is responsible for his/her class. 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.
In addition to separate subjects, the following "educational paths" have been introduced at this stage: health education, ecological education, reading and media education, education for society, education for family life, cultural heritage of the region, patriotic and civic education.

Secondary Education
Lower Secondary Education:
Gimnazjum (junior high school) is attended by teenagers aged 13-16. 1999 three-year gymnasia were established as a first (lower) level of the secondary school. It is compulsory for all pupils. Students learn the same subjects as in primary school, but there are also:

- History
- Personal and Social Education
- Physics and Astronomy
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Geography

It provides education by subjects, the widest possible variety, but at the basic level. One of the aims of this stage is to identify the abilities and interests of the pupils and to help them make a rational choice of a further education route.
Junior high school leaving exam finishes this three-year period of education. It consists of two written parts: humanistic and mathematics-nature.

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.

Szkoły ponadgimnazjalne (secondary schools). Here, teenagers can attend:

- basic vocational school – 3 years – finishing this type of school young people get the Certificate of Completion of the Basic Vocational School,

- general secondary school– 3 years – they get Maturity Certificate if they manage to pass maturity exam,

- subject oriented secondary school – 3 years – finished by passing maturity exam,

- technical secondary school – 4 years – they get the Certificate of Completion of the Technical Secondary School or they can also pass maturity exam.

Polish students are graded on a 1-6 scale and thus, they can get:

1 - unsatisfactory/fail,
2 - poor,
3 - satisfactory,
4 - good,
5 - very good,
6 - excellent

Undoubtedly, the most important exam in the Polish education system is maturity exam as it gives people the opportunity to enter different types of universities, colleges and other high schools. It consists of two parts: oral and written.

It is said that we learn as long as we live and it is true. The period when we go to various kinds of schools is the most essential for our future life. There we learn basic things and laws, get to know the surrounding world, discover our abilities and skills and finally, meet a lot of people who play a very big role in our present, and sometimes also future life. That is why the system of education should be well planned and organized and the people who work with children and teenagers ought to be chosen carefully.

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
Following the transformation of the political system in 1990 a major change took place in the higher education system. On the basis of a new law on higher education adopted on the 12th of September 1990 higher education institutions were granted institutional autonomy, freedom in teaching and research and internal self-governance was developed.
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. Development and dissemination of national culture are also included in higher education institutions together with co-operation with local communities and preparation of students for social life.
A school of higher education can offer uniform Master degree studies, higher vocational studies as well as supplementary Master degree studies. It can also offer postgraduate courses, as well as special studies and courses. Graduates of the first level courses (studia pierwszego stopnia) are awarded the professional title of licencjat or inżynier (or equivalent) after 3-4 years' study. Graduates of the second level courses (studia drugiego stopnia) are awarded the professional title of magister or equivalent after 1.5 to 2-year complementary magister level courses.
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.
The requirement to apply for admission to higher education studies is the Maturity certificate. Generally, enrolment may be based on an entrance examination or a qualifying interview, or it may not involve an entrance examination, in all cases the submission of documents and the payment of fees follows the above mentioned procedures. The school can charge an examination fee up to the amount defined by the Minister for the given year.
Most higher education institutions are under the responsibility of the Ministry of National Education and Science. Some, however, are under the control of other competent Ministries: Ministry of Health (Academies of Medicine) and Ministry of Culture (Academies of Music, Fine Arts, Theatre, and Film Studies). There are also schools that are supervised by the Ministry of National Defence (military schools), the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration (main school of fire service, school of police) and the Ministry of Infrastructure (merchant navy schools).
In order to make HE accessible to higher number of young people, the system of financial support to students from the state budget has been introduced. Financial support to students is provided in the framework of university student support funds. Students who follow day courses can receive social allowances, special grants for the disabled, grants for scientific achievements, housing allowances, meal allowances and allowances from trust.
Teacher education
Training of pre-primary and primary/basic school teachers
Since 1990, teacher training in Poland has been organized as tertiary education. Primary school and gymnasium teachers are trained in a teacher training college. There are also foreign language teacher training colleges. The graduates are awarded the dyplom ukończenia kolegium nauczycielskiego and the professional title of licencjat (conferred by the higher education institution which supervises the given college).Before 1990, the education of pre-primary and primary teachers was organized in a range of secondary/postsecondary teacher training schools. The qualification awarded was maturity certificate. The education of the graduates of primary schools who wanted to become teachers lasted from 4 to 6 years, and that of graduates of secondary schools 2 or 3 years. The names of those teacher training schools and institutes are teacher training lyceum, teacher-training institute, pre-primary education institute, beginning learning institute, technical teacher training institute.
Training of secondary school teachers
For secondary school teachers, holders of the degree of magister or its equivalent who have pursued a pedagogical course are eligible. Since 1990 secondary school foreign language teachers can also be trained in foreign language teacher training colleges . The graduates are awarded the dyplom ukończenia kolegium nauczycielskiego and the professional title of licencjat (conferred by the higher education institution which supervises a given college).
Training of higher education teachers
Academic teachers are recruited among the holders of the doctor and reader (doktor habilitowany) degrees. The academic teachers of lower grade can be graduates of higher education institutions, i.e. holders of the master degree or its equivalent, who are preparing for the doctorate.

Prepared: Katarzyna Juszczyk/Barbara Dej/Poland