1. 1)Freedom / possibility to start schools / to run schools In 1991 the Sejm of the Republic of Poland passed the System of Education Law which is the basic document defining the curricular and pedagogical principles of the educational system. Art. 5 reads: School can be either a state school or independent school School can be started and run by: - The local authority - Legal person Natural person Art. 7 reads: An independent school can become licensed as a state school if: Runs a programme of study based on the core curriculum Runs curricular subjects in the cycle not shorter than obligatory framework for a given type of school Uses rules of classification and promotion of a student, running exams and tests Maintains documentation of the course of teaching set for the state schools, Hires qualified teachers of compulsory classes mentioned in point 2. Art.5 and other regulations define that education activities are financed by the local government Art.8 reads: Both primary and middle schools can only be state schools or independent licensed as state ones. They compulsorily end with exams; primary with an interdisciplinary in Polish, math and science, middle schools with humanities, math-science and foreign language exam. Upper-secondary schools can be independent but must end with an external examination 2) Governance and inspection Professional and democratic leadership, Transparency, Accountability State Control / Auditing System of Education Law defines the tasks of a Principle/Director of School. One should be an MA in Teaching and have a post-graduate Management in Education diploma. His/her work experience can not be shorter than 5 years. Director’s responsibilities: - Running the school - Representing it outside - Pedagogic supervision - Supervision of students, creating conditions for harmonious development of the youth - Managing the Staff, putting their resolutions into life -Caring for safety and security Certainly, there are internal evaluations and external ones which take place every 5 years in our schools. 3) Pedagogical freedom for the single schools - and the discussion of how and to what extent the independent schools are socially responsible in the society. Preparing young, well educated people for life in the society is the main social responsibility we fulfil. 4) Other topics you think are of greatest relevance and importance for the next 5 years….. ECNAIS ECNAIS is na international association for collaboration between national associations of independent schools in European countries. It was founded in 1988 and is registered as a company limited by guarantee not having a share capital under the English Companies Act. | www.ecnais.org | Ny Kongensgade 10, DK 1472 Copenhagen K, DENMARK | secretariat@ecnais.org | Berlin, GERMANY | 19th November 2010 The independent School in Europe today – and the role the national organizations are playing Jolanta Kaluza THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL OF NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS CONSEIL EUROPEEN D’ASSOCIATIONS NATIONALES D’ECOLES INDEPENDANTES ECNAI S