Curriculum, subjects, number of hours

For 5-year technical secondary schools as well as stage I and stage II sectoral vocational schools – which operate within the post-reform school system –  outline timetables are laid down in the Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 3 April 2019 on the outline timetables for public schools with further amendments (Rozporządzenie Ministra Edukacji Narodowej z dnia 3 kwietnia 2019 r. w sprawie ramowych planów nauczania dla publicznych szkół).

Outline timetables for 5-year technical secondary schools (education stage III)

Weekly number of teaching / class hours for compulsory classes and lessons with the class tutor:

¹⁾ The head of a technical secondary school sets the weekly number of hours for individual compulsory classes, while observing the number of hours allocated to compulsory classes in Grade V. 

²⁾ Additional hours for a modern foreign language which is the second language of tuition in a bilingual technical secondary school or a bilingual class of a technical secondary school.

³⁾ The head of a technical secondary school selects one subject to be taught in Grade I from among Philosophy, Visual Arts, Music, and Latin and Ancient Culture.

⁴⁾ The subject is taught in Grade V until the end of January, with the number of hours as specified for this subject in a given grade.

⁵⁾ The head of a technical secondary school sets the number of hours for grades in which the subject will be taught, while observing the weekly number of hours allocated to the subjects taught at the basic level and lessons with the class tutor in individual grades. The number of hours allocated to the subject in the 5-year education cycle is 4. The subject can be taught in Grades I, II, III or IV.

⁶⁾ The head of a technical secondary school sets the number of hours for the grades in which the subject will be taught, while observing the number of hours allocated to the subjects taught at the basic level and the classes with the class tutor for each grade. The subject is taught for 4 hours in the 5-year education cycle. It can be taught in Grade I, II, III or IV. 

⁷⁾ For Business and Management classes:

1) In Grade I only: the subjects at the basic level and the classes with the class tutor should be allocated a total of 25 hours in Grade I and 21 hours in Grade II. 

2) In Grade II only: the subjects at the basic level and the classes with the class tutor should be allocated a total of 23 hours in Grade I and 23 hours in Grade II. 

3) In Grades I and II: the subjects at the basic level and the classes with the class tutor should be allocated a total of 24 hours in Grade I and 22 hours in Grade II. 

4) Other classes / educational activities 

Technical secondary schools also offer subjects / courses which may be chosen as electives by pupils / parents, and / or other classes which aim, for example, to maintain the national or ethnic identity of pupils. In particular, these include:

1. Religion or Ethics: 2 hours per week in accordance with Article 12, section 2 of the School Education Act (ustawa o systemie oświaty);
2. Family Education: the number of hours is set by the regulations based on Article 4, section 3 of the Act of 7 January 1993 on Family Planning, Human Embryo Protection and Conditions of Permissibility of Abortion (ustawa z dnia 7 stycznia 1993 r. o planowaniu rodziny, ochronie płodu rodziny i warunkach dopuszczalności przerywania ciąży);
3. National minority language, Ethnic minority language, Regional language and Minority history and culture: the number of hours is set by the regulations based on Article 13, section 3 of the School Education Act;
4. Geography of the state with which a national minority identifies itself: the number of hours is set by the regulations based on Article 13, section 3 of the School Education Act; classes are conducted in case the school administering body allocates hours to such classes.

The outline timetable also includes sport classes / activities in sports classes and schools and sports championship classes and schools, and counselling and guidance (so-called psychological and educational support) classes.

Where the school administering body has allocated hours, a school offers additional educational activities and sign language classes.

Furthermore, post-primary schools in Poland conduct career guidance classes in accordance with the regulations based on Article 26a, section 3 of the Law on School Education (ustawa – Prawo oświatowe ). The minimum number of hours for such classes is 10 in the 4-year education cycle. 

Outline timetables for Stage I sectoral vocational schools

In stage I sectoral vocational schools (post-primary schools: education stage III), the weekly number of teaching / class hours during the entire 3-year education cycle (the total number of hours is not specified) is as follows:

¹⁾ Not applicable to pupils with a moderate or severe intellectual disability and pupils with multiple disabilities including a moderate or severe intellectual disability.

²⁾ The school head selects two subjects from among Geography, Biology, Chemistry and Physics, which are taught in Grades I to III, with 1 hour per week in each Grade. 

³⁾ The hours allocated to compulsory vocational training are distributed by the school head. However, the number of hours allocated to practical training may not be lower than 60% of the total number of hours for vocational training. For pupils who are juvenile workers, the head distributes the hours in consultation with employers, and taking into consideration the provisions of the Act of 26 June 1974, The Labour Code (ustawa z dnia 26 czerwca 1974 r., Kodeks Pracy). However, the number of hours for practical training may not be lower than 60% of the total number of hours for vocational training.

⁴⁾ The weekly number of hours for compulsory classes and lessons with the class tutor for pupils in individual grades is not applicable to pupils who are juvenile workers. However, the timetable for juvenile workers should include the total number of hours allocated to individual compulsory classes and lessons with the class tutor in the 3-year education cycle. 

Additionally, pupils in stage I sectoral vocational schools are required to take career guidance classes: at least 10 hours during the 3-year education cycle. Stage I sectoral vocational schools also offer subjects / courses in accordance with other regulations; these include, for example, Religion or Ethics; Family education; and classes for pupils from national or ethnic minorities.

Outline timetables for Stage II sectoral vocational schools

The weekly number of class hours during the entire 2-year education cycle in stage II sectoral vocational schools (post-primary schools: education stage III) is as follows:

1. The minimum number of class hours per week for rehabilitation classes for learners with a disability in each school year:

• 8 hours per class in a special class;

• 2 hours per learner in a mainstream or integration class.

2. The duration of practical placements is 4 weeks (140 hours). Learners undertake a placement in the grade chosen by the school head. The school head may spread a practical placement over a period of time.  

¹⁾ Vocational training takes place as part of vocational qualification courses; its duration is determined in the national core curriculum for vocational education (for a given occupation), taking into consideration regulations issued on the basis of Article 117, section 5 of the Law on School Education. The hours for the compulsory vocational training classes are distributed by the school head. However, the number of hours allocated to practical vocational training may not be lower than 50% of the total number of hours for vocational training.

²⁾ The number of hours does not include hours for vocational training.

Teaching methods and materials

Subject teachers are free to choose teaching methods and approaches, although this is partly determined by the number of pupils per class and teaching and learning facilities and resources available in the school (for example, the number of computers or other teaching aids). Pupils should be divided into smaller groups for some classes (for example, Foreign language, Technology or Computer science).

The curriculum can be:

• developed by the teacher individually or jointly with other teachers;

• chosen by the teacher from among the set of curricula developed by other author(s), for example, from among those available on the market;

• developed by other author(s) and modified by the teacher.

The curriculum proposed by the teacher should be adapted to the needs and abilities of the pupils. The head of a given school approves general education and vocational education curricula at the request of the teacher or the team of teachers concerned and after consultation with the school's teaching council.

Teachers may choose a textbook from among the textbooks approved for the use at school. The head publishes a list of textbooks to be used at a given school from the beginning of the next school year.

Schools are required to install special Internet safety software in computers used for teaching and learning. The software should protect pupils, in particular, against pornography, brutal and aggressive contents, contents breaking social norms and promoting hatred and discrimination.