Poland’s Education System at a Time of Demographic and Economic Crisis

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Poland’s Education System at a Time of Demographic and Economic Crisis

Journal Title: Zeszyty Naukowe Wyższej Szkoły Bankowej w Poznaniu - Year 2016, Vol 71, Issue 6

Abstract

Since there are close links between market economy and the education system, economic crises will have a visible effect on educational institutions at all levels. The late 2000s were marked by a coincidence of financial, demographic and immigration crises. The 2007-2009 global financial crunch, coupled with Poland’s demographic crisis that dates back to 2007 and was exacerbated by mass emigration of young Poles, and the European refugee crisis that began in 2015 with increasing numbers of people flocking from African and Asian countries have had, and will continue to have, an substantial impact on the education system of Poland. The article highlights some of the crisis symptoms and their implications for Poland’s education sector. As a result of the ongoing population decrease, we have seen schools being closed down, curricula being revised, and a wave of consolidations sweeping the higher education sector. The financial crisis has demonstrated that there is a need to reengineer higher education curricula in an attempt to attract more students and to focus educational effort on students who already have certain requisite skills. One benefit of the new approach would be raising the professional integrity of managers and thus minimizing fraudulent practices such as those pursued by the proud and self-serving executives of Enron and WorldCom. By contrast, the 2015 European migrant crisis has become a stimulus for developing a reasonable migration policy in lieu of fear-driven solidarity. It is clear that the education system should play a central role in making this policy a reality.

Authors and Affiliations

Tadeusz Kowalewski

Keywords

EP ID EP216349
DOI -
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