The school education system should provide conditions for all citizens to exercise their right to education, and for children and young people to exercise their right to education and care as suitable for their age and stage of development. School should provide conditions for the development of each pupil and prepare pupils to fulfil their family and civic duties based on the principles of solidarity, democracy, tolerance, justice and freedom.

Learners may have the contents, methods and organisation of education adapted to their psychological and physical abilities, and have access to counselling and guidance (referred to as psychological and educational support) and to special forms of learning and teaching. Children and young people with disabilities, socially maladjusted children and young people and those at risk of social maladjustment may receive education in all types of schools, in line with their individual developmental and educational needs and predispositions.

Pupils with disabilities can take an individualised learning path, follow individualised learning programmes and participate in rehabilitation classes.

Particularly gifted pupils can follow individualised learning programmes and complete education in all types of schools within a shorter period.

The school education system also provides support and care to pupils in a difficult financial situation or difficult life circumstances.

The areas of study and curricular contents are adapted to labour market requirements, and schools prepare pupils for the choice of a career and area of study and for active participation in economic life through the development of entrepreneurial attitudes.

Support is also available for the teaching of, and in the Polish language to the Polish diaspora, Poles living abroad and children of migrant workers.

(Act of 14 December 2016, The Law on School Education, as subsequently amended /ustawa z dnia 14 grudnia 2016, Prawo oświatowe).

The school education system provides support to children from birth. Children have access to psychological and educational support (counselling and guidance) in counselling and guidance centres before entering a preschool education setting, during preschool education and throughout the period of education in school. Support for early childhood development is available to children from the time when a disability is diagnosed until the time when they start school.

At each education level, in nursery schools and alternative preschool education settings, all types of schools and other educational institutions for children and young people, the education process is organised so as to consider diverse developmental and educational needs of pupils.

Support is also offered to learners in schools for adults and people who acquire additional and upgrade vocational qualifications and skills in non-school settings.

Identification of pupils’ developmental and educational needs and abilities and environmental factors which have impact on their functioning, and related support are among the basic responsibilities of the following categories of staff working in institutions within the school education system:

• teachers,

• class or group tutors (teachers) and

• specialists, including psychologists, education specialists / educationalist and special education counsellors (referred to as pedagogues and special education pedagogues respectively), speech therapists and educational therapists.

Teachers should take an individualised approach in working with each pupil during classes. Psychological and educational support should be geared towards supporting active and full participation of children in the life of the nursery school or school (or another institution of the school education system) and in their social environment. It should be provided in direct work with the pupil and, depending on his / her needs, in forms prescribed by the legislation.

The following arrangements are in place in the school education system to cater to the educational needs of children and young people:

• various forms of psychological and educational support provided in nursery schools and schools (and other institutions of the school education system), including counselling and guidance centres;

• adaptation of contents, educational requirements, organisation of the learning process and methods applied in the work with pupils to their individual needs and abilities:

  • the choice of the core curriculum for general education;

  • adjustment of educational requirements;

  • special education;

  • individualised one-year preschool preparatory classes or individualised learning;

  • an individualised learning programme or learning path;

  • exemption from selected classes;

  • a one-year compulsory preschool education programme, compulsory full-time or part-time education programme provided in the form of one-to-one or group rehabilitation classes and education classes.

• adjustment of the time of entry into education and the length of an education cycle: 

  • earlier entry into compulsory education;

  • deferred entry into compulsory education;

  • extension of the duration of education stages for pupils with disabilities;

  • shortened periods of education for socially maladjusted pupils or pupils at risk of social maladjustment;

  • progression of pupils to a higher grade during a school year;

  • individualised learning;

• adaptations and adjustments to the conditions and forms of external examinations.

Measures taken by institutions in the school education system are also designed to support parents and teachers in addressing educational and learning problems, and in developing their educational skills. They are aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of psychological and educational support provided to children and young people.

The Ministry of National Education is working to improve the quality of inclusive education, understood as accessible and high-quality education for all learners, at any age. (Ministry of National Education; information and promotion campaign “Education within reach” /Edukacja w zasięgu ręki); information available in Polish only).

As of 1 September 2022, the following public and non-public educational institutions are required to employ teachers-specialists, including education specialists (‘pedagogues’), special education counsellors (‘special education pedagogues’), psychologists, speech therapists and educational therapists:

• nursery schools, except for special nursery schools;

• primary schools, general secondary schools, technical secondary schools and stage I sectoral vocational schools, except for special schools;

• art schools providing general education at the level of the primary school or general secondary school;

• complexes consisting of the afore-mentioned types of nursery schools and schools.

The total number of posts for teachers-specialists should be adequate for the needs of children and young people but should not be lower than specified in the legislation. 

The related standards are being introduced in 2 stages.

The following values for the standards were set on 1 September 2024:

Source: Ministry of National Education (the text available in Polish only).

Following the changes introduced, the Ministry of National Education estimates that the number of posts (in full-time equivalents, FTE) for teachers-specialists in the institutions of the school education system grew from 21,000 in 2021 to more than 51,000 in 2024; that is, on average, by 134%. This will improve the availability of specialist support for children and young people, their parents and teachers.

(Art. 42d of the Act of 26 January 1982, The Teachers’ Charter (as subsequently amended) / ustawa z dnia 26 stycznia 1982 r. – Karta Nauczyciela)

On 1 September 2022, mainstream and integration nursery schools and schools established a new position of special education counsellor.

Secondary school leavers who have passed the maturity exam can continue their education in higher education institutions. The teaching and learning processes in a higher education institution should be adapted to the specific needs of students with disabilities.

(Art. 11, section 1, sub-section 6; Art. 365, sub-section 6; Art. 368, section 4, sub-sections 2 and 5 of the Act of 20 July 2018, The Law on Higher Education and Science (as subsequently amended) / ustawa z dnia 20 lipca 2018 r. ‒ Prawo o szkolnictwie wyższym i nauce)

(Regulation of the Minister of Science and Higher Education of 25 September 2018 on the distribution of funding to higher education institutions for financial benefits for students and for tasks related to the provision of conditions for full participation of disabled persons in the student admission process, the learning process as part of degree programmes and in doctoral schools or research activities (as subsequently amended) /rozporządzenie Ministra Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego z dnia 25 września 2018 r. w sprawie sposobu podziału dla uczelni środków finansowych na świadczenia dla studentów oraz na zadania związane z zapewnieniem osobom niepełnosprawnym warunków do pełnego udziału w procesie przyjmowania na studia, do szkół doktorskich, kształceniu na studiach i w szkołach doktorskich lub prowadzeniu działalności naukowej)

Adults may receive education in schools for adults and acquire and improve their knowledge, skills and vocational qualifications in non-school settings.

(Art. 18, section 2b, and Art. 117 of the Act of 14 December 2016, The Law on School Education / ustawa z dnia 14 grudnia 2016 r. ‒ Prawo oświatowe)