Migrant / Education / Kindergarten and school

Kindergarten and school

Kindergarten

Public kindergartens are available for Polish and foreign children alike. Usually, kindergartens are not free of charge. The conditions of acceptance to a particular kindergarten are set by its owner.

Parents’ responsibilities:

One year preschool

In , 5 and 6 year-olds have to attend preschool. Parents are responsible for registering and assuring that a child attends preschool regularly.

School

In , children who are not Polish citizens are obligated to attend school just as Polish citizens are. Therefore, they can attend public elementary schools and gymnasiums free of charge.

Parents’ responsibilities:

Education and school obligation

Under Polish law, all children between 7 and 18 residing in are obligated to attend elementary school and gymnasium. (Please, keep in mind that this law will change in 2011. According to a new law, all children will begin education one year earlier once they turn 6 and will have to continue it until graduating from gymnasium or turning 18).

Parents are responsible for:

Registering a child at a school
Providing a child with favorable study conditions and making sure a child attends school regularly
Providing a local municipality with information about inability to fulfill these responsibilities if such a need arises.

Under special circumstance a child might be allowed to begin school either one year earlier or one year later than the appropriate age. The decision about allowing a child to start school earlier or later is made by a school principal after parents’ petition. The school principal usually consults with pedagogy/psychology clinic before making the final decision.

If a child’s attendance is less than 50% in one month, the education obligation is not fulfilled. In that case, a parent can be made responsible and penalized with a fine.

What school to attend?

A child can attend either a public or a private (nonprofit) school. Parents can choose a school that is in a different district then the district they reside in; but they need to inform about it the school director in their district before September 30^th of each year.

How to get to school?

A 6 year old as well as children attending first four grades of elementary school should not travel to school a distance larger than 3 km. If the school is located more than 3 km away, the local administration is obligated to organize free school transport or should pay for the public transportation for a child and child’s guardian to get to school.

Older children attending grades 5 and 6 of elementary school and children attending middle school should not travel a distance larger than 4 km to school.

All children with physical or mental handicap have right to free school transportation until they turn 21 (children with an advanced handicap who attend therapy have right to free school transportation until they turn 25).

In , all students receive a basic healthcare coverage, which means that all students – including foreigners – have a right to receive medical assistance from a primary doctor, dentist, and nurse (including school nurse). A school nurse is obligated to inform parents about all available healthcare benefits.

Scholarship

The Minister of Education Scholarship can be awarded to the following foreign citizens:

students of elementary school, middle school, and high school
students of the library post-elementary education schools
students attending the post education schools for teachers
students of art schools
animators of culture
More information regarding the application process available at the Ministry of Education website: http://www.men.gov.pl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=477%3Astypendium-ministra-edukacji-narodowej-&catid=120%3Astypendia-men&Itemid=157
Polish as a second language

School-age children who do not know Polish language can attend Polish language classes free of charge for a period of one school year no less than twice a week.

Polish language classes are organized by the municipality either in the school or other facility. From January 2010 this rule will also apply to high schools.

Also from January 2010, a teacher aid communicating in a child’s original language will be able to assist children who do not know Polish language during regular classes for a 12 months period. Moreover, children who do not know Polish language will be able to attend after classes designed to help them succeed with the school subjects.

Educating about the country of origin

Diplomatic institutions, consulates, and cultural/educational foundations of the country of origin are welcome to organize language and culture courses after a prior contact with the school. The school will provide space and make the educational resources available for the courses.

A minimum of 15 foreign students have to register for language and culture courses. Courses cannot meet for more than 5 school hours a week.

In , foreign children are registered at an appropriate course level based on submitted school records from the previous school (usually, an official diploma received after a completion of the school year). If school records from a previous school are not available, due to unusual circumstances - such as a sudden flee from the country of origin – grade level will be established based on scores from an entry exam taken by a child before registration.

Until 2010, foreigners are obligated to pay for public high schools, post high school education, artistic schools as well as the post education schools for teachers, except foreigners who belong to one of the following categories:
Again, until 2010 all foreign citizens, who do not belong to one of the listed above categories, are obligated to make tuition payments for cost related to post elementary school education. The yearly cost for a post elementary school education is determined by appropriate authorities, however:
- Payment cannot be less than 1200 euro for post-middle school education
- Payment cannot be less than 1500 euro for post-high school education
- Payment cannot be less than 3000 euro for art school tuition (such as music school) or 4500 euro for ballet school, circus school, library school or school for the animators of culture.
The authority overlooking the school have the power to reduce or withhold the tuition payment altogether due to child’s difficult financial situation.

From the beginning of 2010, all foreign school age children will be able to attend school free of charge until they turn 18 or graduate from high school.