In 2013, the Government adopted the document ‘The Lifelong Learning Perspective’ (Perspektywa uczenia się przez całe życie; text in Polish only). It aimed primarily to open up the school education system to learning paths other than formal education, and to integrate the national qualifications system and the new approach to adult learning. Further details are available in Polish on the Lifelong Learning Perspective website of the Ministry of National Education.

Key objectives for the lifelong learning (LLL) policy based on the above-mentioned document:

1. Stimulating creativity and innovation 

• Policy objectives: Institutions at all education levels should place emphasis on the need to develop creativity, entrepreneurship and innovativeness. To be able to do this, they should have curriculum autonomy to develop their own curricula adapted to the local needs and to validate learning outcomes. 

• Implementation: The objectives have been pursued through the curricular reforms of preschool and general education and of higher education. On 1 September 2023, the subject Business and Management replaced the subject Basics of Entrepreneurship in school curricula. This change aims to help pupils acquire key competences and develop leadership skills (details about the new subject in Polish). 

2. Integrating the national qualifications system

• Policy objectives: In view of the expanding area of learning in various forms (lifewide learning), including the involvement of business and social partners in the development of high-level competences, it is necessary to pursue a new policy for awarding qualifications based on learning outcomes. The aim is to ensure that each level of qualifications is achievable for people taking different paths in education, training and career development. 

• Implementation: The Act on the Integrated Qualification System was passed in December 2015. In 2019, the Government adopted the 2030 Integrated Skills Strategy (Zintegrowana Strategia Umiejętności) (accessed in October 2024), which covers the entire education and training system and was developed in close cooperation between the competent government bodies and stakeholders. For further details about the Strategy, see Chapter 8, Adult Education, and the  Integrated Qualifications System website. 

3. Increasing participation rates in early childhood education and care

• Policy objectives: To facilitate the development of children and their skills, it is necessary to further develop high-quality early childhood education and care (ECEC), combined with parents’ support. 

• Implementation: Since 2011, the Ministry of Family and Social Policy has implemented the Toddler (Maluch) Programme, which supports institutions providing ECEC to children aged up to 3 years. Between 2022 and 2029, applications under the Programme can be submitted on a continuous basis, and the total funding allocated is PLN 709,494,279.76 (further details about the call in Polish). To promote and support care for small children, new legislation has introduced additional allowances for parents (Act of 15 May 2024 on the Support for Parents in Economic Activity and Child-Raising: ‘Active Parent’ / ustawa z dnia 15 maja 2024 r. o wspieraniu rodziców w aktywności zawodowej oraz w wychowaniu dziecka - "Aktywny rodzic") 

• According to the Central Statistical Office data, the number of childcare institutions increased between 2022 and 2023: from around 4,400 to 4,600 crèches, with a similar number of kids’ clubs (900) and day-care provider settings (2,100) . Most of them are private establishments. The childcare system offered 226,400 places in total in the reference year. Further details in Polish are available on the Toddler Programme website, and in the Children and Family section of the Central Statistical Office website (with key data in English).

To reach European standards within a shorter time, between 2013 and 2022 the Government implemented the legislation that aimed to ensure a steady increase in the State-budget subsidies provided to local government units for preschool education: from PLN 504 million in 2013 and 1,567 million in 2014 to 1,879 million in 2022. The subsidies were allocated for the creation of new places in preschool education, quality improvement of services and for the reduction of fees charged to parents. Currently, the legislation provides for a stable source of subsidies for childcare and preschool education for children across the country. 

4. Adapting education and training to labour market needs and social changes

• Policy objective: Vocational education and training should effectively prepare prospective graduates to find employment and change occupation.  

• Implementation: Reforms of vocational and continuing education as part the school education system have been undertaken. They aim primarily at better adaptation of vocational education to labour market needs. The following measures have been taken so far: 

  • changes in the classification of occupations (each occupation is defined with 1 to 3 qualifications, where a given qualification may be a part of several occupations);

  • structural changes (vocational schools and other vocational education and training institutions can merge into vocational and continuing education centres);

  • the establishment of stage I sectoral vocational schools and stage II sectoral vocational schools, which makes it easier to upgrade qualifications obtained at the lower level of vocational education;

  • modernisation of the national core curriculum for vocational education, with vocational qualifications described in terms of learning outcomes;

  • the strengthening of the component covering key competences within vocational education;

  • modernisation of external vocational exams to adapt them to the new classification of occupations;

  • greater flexibility in continuing education through wider use of non-school settings;

• the establishment of sectoral skills centres: education, training and examination centres at vocational schools or vocational education and training centres, which aim to support the development of new technologies and closer cooperation with the business sector. 

Further details on changes in the legislative framework for school education in Poland are available in the updated section at: Poland: National Reforms in School Education.

Reforms in higher education, initiated in 2011, aim at a clear distinction between academically oriented programmes (‘general academic profile’) and practically oriented programmes (‘practical profile’). With financial incentives offered, the aim is to establish a robust sector of practically (professionally) oriented programmes, which should respond to the needs of a larger proportion of students. This will also allow raising and enforcing research standards within academically oriented programmes. The recently passed legislation has extended the duration of compulsory practical placements for students taking practically oriented programmes: at least 6 months for first- and long-cycle programmes, and 3 months for second-cycle programmes. The legislation also provides for the establishment of dual study programmes: practically oriented programmes delivered with the involvement of an employer (with organisational arrangements to be laid down in a written agreement). Additionally, it is recommended that practically oriented programmes involve more practitioners in teaching students.

5. Introducing a new approach to adult learning based on the recognition of the value of learning in the workplace and as part of structured social engagement 

• Policy objectives: The workplace and social engagement offer the greatest learning potential, which is not, however, sufficiently tapped in Poland. Recommended arrangements will enable more effective identification, assessment and validation of learning outcomes achieved in this way. The system for the validation of prior work, social and personal experience will be further developed as the basis to continue lifelong learning.

• Implementation: As part of the above-mentioned vocational and higher education reforms, new validation mechanisms have been put in place in both education sectors. External vocational exams have become accessible to those who have gained work experience in settings other than vocational schools and continuing education centres. HEIs may now validate competences acquired outside the higher education system; for example, at work, in training and other courses, through self-improvement or self-study, or voluntary activities.

Since 2015, continuing education has been supported by the National Training Fund (Krajowy Fundusz Szkoleniowy), where 2% of the contributions to the Labour Fund are allocated for the (re)training of employees. Interested employers receive funding that can cover even 100% of costs incurred for the training of people whom they should subsequently employ.

Vocational schools and employers jointly use the following instruments: 

• Agreements: schools and employers which set out conditions for the training of juvenile workers Agreements form an annex to the employment contract for vocational or apprentice training. 

• Practical placements for pupils / learners: pupils / learners carry out a placement or internship in a real working environment, based on a written agreement between the employer and the learner or parents of the underage pupil.

In order to promote the concept of lifelong learning, there are ongoing programmes for the group of 50+, with a special focus on their professional activation, and the group of 60+, focusing on their social activation (information available in Polish).