Polish schools in Vilnius with chance of getting accreditation

During the meeting which took place on 1st April, the Council of Vilnius City Municipiality agreed to the status change of Władysław Syrokomla High School. This Polish school will from now on be a public institution, not a budgetary one, which opens up a path to the accreditation of the secondary education program. Being one of the biggest Polish schools in Vilnius, “Syrokomlówka” intends to pursue its curriculum in accordance to the Christian values. Other Polish schools are also waiting for the commencement of the accreditation process.

According to the 2011 Act on Education, being in effect until 1st September 2015, all secondary schools have to undergo the process of accreditation of secondary education. Those schools that will not manage to get accredited will remain either primary schools or progymnasiums. There are a few schools applying for the status change to gymnasium: Władysław Syrokomla High School, Julian Tuwim High School, Szymon Konarski High School, Lazdynai School, and the high school in Grzegorzew.

In December 2014, the capital city authorities addressed a request to the Ministry of Education and Science for the accreditation of secondary education programs in the above-mentioned schools. Władysław Syrokomla High School intends to pursue its program on the basis of the Christian values, Szymon Konarski High School and Lazdynai High School opt for artistic programs, and Julian Lelewel High School intends to implement a specialist secondary education in the faculty of Engineering. Polish-Russian school in Grzegorzew is situated on the outskirts of the capital city, thus, being a so-called ‘peripheral school,’ it is applying for the status of ‘long’ gymnasium spanning from forms 1 to the final year of secondary school, ending with maturity exams.

According to the requirements of Ministry of Education and Science, a secondary school curriculum based on Christian values can be implemented in institutions which have the status of public use. The decision made by the capital city authorities on 1st April  settled the legal matters. The school will still be under the management of the council, yet this time as an institution of public use. The next step belongs to the Ministry of Education and Science, which have to make a decision in regards to the commencement of the accreditation process of Władysław Syrokomla High School.

Another Polish schools also stand the chance of getting the accreditation. There are three gymnasiums with Polish as the language of learning in the capital city: Adam Mickiewicz Gymnasium, John Paul II Gymnasium, and Józef Ignacy Kraszewski Gymnasium.

Meanwhile in the Seimas, the draft amendments to the Article 41 of the Act on Education have been submitted. A part of PMs propose the final date of the implementation of the new education system to be delayed by three years, until 1st September 2018.

On the basis of: vilnius.lt