Literature and Polish Language Olympiad – Vilnius success

There are as much as seven out of ten winners of the XXIV-th Literature and Polish Language Olympiad who are the pupils of Vilnius schools. The awards of the last edition of Polish language studies competition were published in Vilniaus Vladislavo Sirokomles vidurine mokykla [Vilnius Secondary School named after Wladyslaw Syrokomla]. There were – as always – ten winners, who will come to Warsaw soon to represent Lithuania in the final stage of All-Poland Literature and Polish Language Olympiad. Daniel Rawiński – from Vilniaus Juzefo Ignacijaus Kraśevskio vidurine mokykla [J.I. Kraszewski Secondary School in Vilnius] (Naujoji Vilnia) – was the winner of the Lithuanian edition of this Olympiad; he was prepared for the competition by his teacher Mrs. Joanna Szczygłowska.

Polonistkos Centras of Vilniaus universitetas [Vilnius University] and Vilniaus Vladislavo Sirokomles vidurine mokykla [Syrokomlowka] were the organizers of this year competition. The qualifications took part in the historical hall of Alma Mater Vilnensis and they lasted two days – the pupils were writing composition first day, there was the oral examination next day.

The most popular subject chosen by the participants was love (“The most beautiful love confessions in literature and the way of its creation in the works of selected writers”) and…January Uprising (The Uprising issues and the ways of explaining them in Polish literature of XIX and XX century” – 11 out of 35 the participants had chosen the subject). Substantially fewer pupils attempted to interpret the literary works. The issues of language principles and closed word classes were the most popular among the oral examination subjects.

The Olympiad participants were examined by: PhD Teresa Dalecka (jury chairperson, the winner of the II-nd Literature and Polish Language Olympiad), Prof. PhD Algis Kalėda, PhD Mirosław Dawlewicz, PhD Irena Federowicz, PhD Kinga Geben from Vilniaus universitetas [Vilnius University], as well as PhD Irena Masojć, PhD Halina Turkiewicz, PhD Barbara Dwilewicz and PhD Józef Szostakowski from Lietuvos edukologijos universitetas LEU [Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences].

As usual the following awards were granted: two prizewinners of II-nd grade – one was Karol Kleczkowski from Vilniaus Jono Paulinas II gimnazija (Polish teacher Anna Jasińska) and the other Mirosława Krysztul from Vilniaus Adomo Mickevićiaus gimnazija (Polish teacher Elwira Bielawska), as well as three prizewinners of III-rd grade: Marzena Palewicz from Vilniaus Vladislavo Sirokomles vidurine mokykla [Vilnius High School] (Polish teacher Irena Matoszko), Ewelina Knutowicz from Vilniaus Simonas Konarskis vidurine mokykla  (Polish teacher Jolanta Pacyno) and Joanna Miłosz from Śalćininku J. Sniadeckio gimnazija  (Polish teacher Grażyna Koczan). Four diplomas from Lithuanian Ministry of Education and Science were given to: Łukasz Mikielewicz (Nemenćine Konstntinas Parćevskis gimnazija), Elżbieta Czerniawska (Vilniaus Jono Paulinas II gimnazija), Ewa Bartusewicz (Vilniaus Joachimo Lelevelio vidurine mokykla) and Katarzyna Nornicka (Eiśiśkes gimnazija).

Literature and Polish Language Olympiad is one of the most celebrated events for Polish schools in Vilnius Region. It is convened under the auspices of Lithuanian Ministry of Education and Science and Lithuanian Center of Informal Education for Pupils. It is held under the patronage of two Polish language faculties at Vilniaus universitetas [Vilnius University] and Lietuvos edukologijos universitetas LEU [Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences]. It is supported by the local authorities, for example by Vilniaus miesto savivaldybe [Vilnius City Municipality]. Polish politicians, activists and many distinguished guests – from Members of Parliament and diplomats from Polish Embassy in Vilnius to the representatives of Municipality and the education departments, who supervise Polish language schooling – attach great significance to it.  Therefore the pool of prizes for the competitors is impressive (for example the gift bonuses for 1500 LTL for the winner, 1200 LTL for the runner-up and 1000 LTL for the third place from the Association of Poles in Lithuania, not to mention other gifts and books).

One can hardly say that learning native language is as popular among students as it is among politicians and activists: all in all 37 pupils of the last grades of secondary schools in Vilnius and Vilnius Region were qualified to the finals, and 35 of them were competing. The Polish teachers admit that since the Polish language was taken off the list of obligatory subjects at the A-level certificate, although the examinations are still provided by the schools, they do not bring the additional points in the centralized procedures of admission to the universities;  therefore the students do not pay much of their attention to the subject. Even taking into account that the winners of Olympiad of Polish Literature and Polish Language are exempted from the A-level examination, and there are vacancies waiting for the All-Poland winners at the University of Warsaw Polish Philology as well as Polish Government scholarships!

Based on: In-house info

Source: http://www.wilnoteka.lt/pl/artykul/olimpiada-literatury-i-jezyka-polskiego-sukces-wilna

Tłumaczenie Jadwiga Granowska w ramach praktyk w Europejskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka, www.efhr.eu. Translated by Jadwiga Granowska within the framework of a traineeship programme of the European Foundation of Human Rights, www.efhr.eu.