Entrepreneurship Education at Secondary Level in Transition Economies: A Case of Poland
Entrepreneurship Education at Secondary Level in Transition Economies: A Case of Poland

Summary/Abstract: Objective: The goal of the paper is to present changes in entrepreneurship education (EE) in Poland at the lower level (gymnasium) and upper secondary (post-gymnasium) schools after the reform of the education system since 1999 in the light of national core curriculum (NCC) analysis.Research Design & Methods: The analysis of NCC was based on the method and criteria developed in the European research project Fifobi and includes four basic competencies related to the following: economy knowledge, business knowledge, social competences and self-competences associated with an entrepreneurial attitude.Findings: Analysis of distribution of content of the NCC for secondary schools indicates that competencies in the field of economic knowledge prevail, the contents of all entries in this field are based on the obligatory subjects “civics” (lower-) “Basics of Entrepreneurship” [“BE”] (upper-secondary schools). Social and self-competencies are treated quite marginally in the NCC. Shortcomings in the business competencies, carried out mainly on a compulsory subject “Economy in Practice” (“EP”), are also visible.Implications & Recommendations: The conducted research allowed to draw a number of recommendations and challenges for politicians and educators in EE in Poland. These should include, among others, the need to clarify the records of the NCC and modification of the NCC records in terms of entrepreneurship so that a greater emphasis was placed on social and personal competencies, not only the competencies based on economic knowledge.Contribution & Value Added: The paper can contribute to a better understanding of the level and structure of EE in Poland. An important added value of the analyses is their application value. The conclusions of the research may serve as guidelines to educational policy, not only in Poland but also in other countries transforming their economies, and to international comparative studies.

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