Poland

Working toward sweeping changes in vocational education

In education and employment Poland is dealing with the same major issues as the rest of Europe - i.e. how to best adapt to globalisation and to technological and organisational change - but with some particular challenges of its own, especially those associated with European integration. Its school leavers must be able to compete not just in Poland but in alll of Europe.

To respond to these challenges, the Ministry of National Education appointed a team of experts and counsellors who will be responsible for preparing the necessary reforms in vocational education. The reforms include raising the number of learning hours in vocational education, engaging employers in vocational education, integrating general with vocational education, and setting up a system to validate non-formal and informal qualifications.

These curricular and organisational changes in vocational education are scheduled to be in place by 1 September 2012. 

The team of experts will prepare the changes and elaborate a schedule for their introduction. It will also carry out broad social consultations, organise related conferences, and develop new organisational and curricular ideas in initial and continuing vocational training, including legal and financial aspects.

• directions of changes in vocational and continuing education in the short and long-terms perspectives (structure of vocational education, classification of school professions, teachers improvement within vocational education, financing of vocational education);

• profile of the graduate in vocational school;

• role of vocational counselling in the educational system;

• validation qualifications system, including barriers in vocational education system.

Participants in the first meeting - held at the end of October 2008 and focusing on structural changes, finance and the professionalisation of teachers and trainers - included representatives of ministries, employers' organisations, branch organisations, municipal, educational and union authorities and vocational training experts.

Further information: Ministy of National Education, www.men.gov.pl (Polish)
Source: Ludmiła Łopacińska, Institute for Sustainable Technologies - National Research Institute (Instytut Technologii Eksploatacji), Ludmila.lopacinska@itee.radom.pl

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