Decentralization of Education in Poland

Decentralization of Education in Poland

Jan HerczyńskiSKL International

„Support to decentralization in Ukraine”Kyiv, March 2, 2016

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Origin of decentralization in Poland

• In 1989, first non-Communist government of PM Tadeusz Mazowiecki begun reforms of all sectors of Polish state

• The main goal was to create market economy and a democratic state– Market economy: reforms of Leszek Balcerowicz– Democratic state: decentralization of the country

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Decentralization as state-building

• Need to destroy inherited national bureaucracy managing all levels of powers

• The instrument: radical decentralization of the basic element of the structure – gminas

• Immediate local elections change 99.9% of local councils and heads of administrations

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Reforms in education sector

• Minister Samsonowicz started significant reforms in all areas of education– Professional autonomy of teachers: Teaching

according to what one believes– Content: overhaul of all curricula and textbooks– School directors: new rules to select

• Decentralization was not the priority

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Structure of education system

Polish education system in 1990: • Preschools (3 grades, starting at 4 years)• Primary schools (8 grades, starting at 7 years)• Secondary schools (starting at 15 years): – General academic lyceum (4 grades) – Technical schools (5 grades)– Basic vocational schools (3 grades)

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Decentralization of education

• Decentralization was key policy priority of the government and education had to adapt

• The first subsector of education to be decentralized was preschool education– Transferred to gminas as own function in 1990– Financed from own revenues of gminas– Many preschools were closed by gminas

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Primary schools

Decentralization of primary schools was delayed and introduced in phases: • Voluntary between 1993-1996– On the basis of bilateral agreements– Fiancing individually negotiated with gminas

• Obligatory from 1996– Introduction of education subvention with a

national formula („algorithm”)

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Secondary schools

Decentralization of secondary schools had to wait till introduction of second tier of local governments, called powiats, in 1999• Failed experiment in „Large cities” in 1996• Obligatory in 1999• Regions received limited education functions– A few schools of national importance– Pedagogical libraries and similar institutions

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The founder of school

Education law of 1990 introduced a key concept for education decentralization school founder• Law clearly defines who is the founder of

different types of education institutions• Law clearly defines the functions and

responsibilities of school founder

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School founders in 1990

The law had to assign the role of school founder to each education institution• Founders of preschools were gminas• Founders of private schools were their owners• Founders of all other schools in 1990 were

kuratoria, the regional representatives of the Ministry of Education

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Process of decentralization

Accordingly, two paralel processes of decentralization of education: • Successive transfer of schools and other

institutions from kuratoria to local governments

• Successive strengthening of the role of school founder

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Successive transfer of responsibilities

• 1990 – Preschools to gminas• 1993 – Primary schools to gminas (voluntary)• 1996 – Primary schools to gminas (all)• 1999 – Secondary schools to powiats• 1999 – Different education institutions to

regions

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Strengthening the role of school founder

• Role of school founder was slowly strengthened in many important areas

• We will discuss three key examples:– Closing and opening of schools– Selection of school directors– Setting of school budgets

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Closing and opening of schools

• Initially, school could be closed only with the written approval of kurator– Kurator defended many schools from closure

• In 1999, only an opinion of kurator was required to close a school– Negative opinion was important for stakeholders

• Since 2002, not even an opinion was needed• Since 2016, again an approval is needed

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Selection of school directors

• Since 1989, school directors were selected by ad hoc commissions with representatives of trade unions, parents and kurator

• Since 1990, school founder was included• Composition of the commission is clearly

specified in the laws– Is one of the most often changed article of the law

on education

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Setting school budgets

• Iinitially, required written approval by school founder and kurator– Kurator assessed the teaching plan of the school– Founder assessed its financial implications

• Over time, opinion of kurator became less important– Since 2002, no need for opinion of kurator

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Lessons for Ukraine

• Decentralization of education is a slow proces during which all actors have to learn

• Clear definitions in the laws are important for orderly proces

• Laws need to be regularly changed to move the proces along

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J. Herczyński Challenges of Education Decentralization

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Thank you!