The Alternative Preschool Education in Poland – Development and Results Marzena Rafalska Marzena Rafalska 2013

The Importance of Preschool Education The early years of young children is essential for their further development and well-being. Major part of the intellectual abilities begin to formulate in the early years. Major part of natural curiosities develop in preschool education period, including the ability of learning. The educational arrangements, and the stimulus of the intellectual and social development is the most effective in preschool education period. 2Marzena Rafalska 2013

Educational System in Poland 1989 “Public” School, the central financing of all educational centers, the ideological propaganda. Kindergarten as a form of social assistance. Shortcoming of the unified curriculum for all the educational centers. 3Marzena Rafalska 2013

Law on Educational System 1991 In Poland a kindergarten is an educational institution, that is the primary stage of the integrated educational system. The autonomy of the educational institutions. Increased role of parents and local communities in the upbringing care. “The legalization” of non-public schools and kindergartens. 4Marzena Rafalska 2013

4 Governmental Reforms in 1998 The reformation of the educational system was related with the administrative reformation of the country. Transferring the funding programs of schools and kindergartens to the municipalities. The organization of the preschool education is the exclusive power of the self-government. The pedagogical supervision of the government over schools and kindergartens. Approximately 20 thousand schools and kindergartens were closed because of the economical collapse (1999 – 2002). 5Marzena Rafalska 2013

Reformation of Educational System 1998 Developing the mission and programs of the educational centers, individualization and establishment of the diverse forms. Developing the compulsory programs of improvement, upbringing and prophylactics. Education as “an educational service”, determining the quality of the educational centers”. Opening of numerous non-public schools and kindergartens. 6Marzena Rafalska 2013

EU Support On 1 May, 2004 – Poland joins to European Union – the very first programs of educational system including preschool education, the improvement and the availability to all children – the human resource acting program of European Social Fund, financing the preschool education in regional sector. 7Marzena Rafalska 2013

Curriculum Reformation 2008 Reducing the school starting age, the transitional period Compulsory preschool education of 5 year-old children Development of preschool education – increase of availability via EU funds. The awareness of the early education importance The alternative forms of preschool education Compulsory preschool diagnosis Curriculum encourages to the further achievements The consistency of the education stages – kindergarten – primary school (I grade) 8Marzena Rafalska 2013

Financing the Kindergartens The minimal period of free learning, nurturing and caregiving is 5 hours per day. The board of the municipality sets out fees for the additional services, exceeding the aforementioned period and refers to the types of the offered services, for example nutrition, supplementary lessons: The municipality’s budget The parents payments (nutrition, supplementary lessons) The donation from the central budget The donation from the EU funds 9Marzena Rafalska 2013

The forms of Preschool Education in Poland Public and private kindergartens The preschool educational departments of public and private primary schools The alternative public and private forms of the preschool education ( preschool educational centers and children-serving sectors) 10Marzena Rafalska 2013

The Alternative Preschool Groups The children-serving sectors – the learning process continues through the whole academic year except for the holidays announced by the government The preschool educational centers – the learning process continues during the whole academic year, a couple of days in a week, except for the holidays announced by the government 11Marzena Rafalska 2013

The Alternative Preschool Groups The educational classes for at least 3 times per week, totally 18 hours The mixed groups, 3 to 5 year-old children Minimally 5, maximally16 children in per group Medical and psychological diagnosis The individual programs of development 12Marzena Rafalska 2013

Increase of Accessibility Marzena Rafalska year-old children engagement in preschool education