This document discusses the decentralization of education in Poland following the fall of communism in 1989. It describes how preschool education was first decentralized to local municipalities in 1990. Decentralization of primary schools was delayed and phased in between 1993-1996, and secondary schools were decentralized to regional governments in 1999. The role of "school founder" was established, initially held by regional authorities but gradually transferred to local governments, along with greater autonomy over decisions around school budgets and director selection. The document argues decentralization is a gradual process that requires all actors to learn and for laws to regularly adapt to further the process.

1. Support to Decentralisation
in Ukraine – 2014-2017
Децентралізація освіти in
Poland
Ян Герчиньскі
SKL International
„Підтримка децентралізації в Україні”
м. Київ, March 2, 2016 року

2. Support to Decentralisation
in Ukraine – 2014-2017
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
J. Herczyński: Decentralizationof Education 2

3. Support to Decentralisation
in Ukraine – 2014-2017
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
J. Herczyński: Decentralizationof Education 3

4. Support to Decentralisation
in Ukraine – 2014-2017
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
J. Herczyński: Decentralizationof Education 4

5. Support to Decentralisation
in Ukraine – 2014-2017
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)
J. Herczyński: Decentralizationof Education 5

6. Support to Decentralisation
in Ukraine – 2014-2017
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 preschooleducation
– Transferred to gminas as own function in 1990
– Financed from own revenuesof gminas
– Many preschools were closed by gminas
J. Herczyński: Decentralizationof Education 6

7. Support to Decentralisation
in Ukraine – 2014-2017
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”)
J. Herczyński: Decentralizationof Education 7

8. Support to Decentralisation
in Ukraine – 2014-2017
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
J. Herczyński: Decentralizationof Education 8

9. Support to Decentralisation
in Ukraine – 2014-2017
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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10. Support to Decentralisation
in Ukraine – 2014-2017
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 representativesof the
Ministry of Education
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11. Support to Decentralisation
in Ukraine – 2014-2017
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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12. Support to Decentralisation
in Ukraine – 2014-2017
Successive transfer of responsibilities
• 1990 – Preschoolsto gminas
• 1993 – Primary schools to gminas (voluntary)
• 1996 – Primary schools to gminas (all)
• 1999 – Secondary schools to powiats
• 1999 – Different education institutions to
regions
J. Herczyński: Decentralizationof Education 12

13. Support to Decentralisation
in Ukraine – 2014-2017
Strengthening the role of school founder
• Role of school founder was slowly
strengthenedin 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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14. Support to Decentralisation
in Ukraine – 2014-2017
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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15. Support to Decentralisation
in Ukraine – 2014-2017
Selection of school directors
• Since 1989, school directors were selected by
ad hoc commissions with representativesof
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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16. Support to Decentralisation
in Ukraine – 2014-2017
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
J. Herczyński: Decentralizationof Education 16

17. Support to Decentralisation
in Ukraine – 2014-2017
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
J. Herczyński: Decentralizationof Education 17

18. Support to Decentralisation
in Ukraine – 2014-2017
Дякую!
J. Herczyński Challenges of Education
Decentralization
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