Trudności we wprowadzaniu reformy gimnazjalnej na obszarach wiejskich
Difficulties in implementing the lower secondary school reform

Summary/Abstract: The introduction of lower secondary schools (gimnazjum) in 1999 was intended to equalise the educational opportuni- ties of children living in rural areas. The concept of the reform was to establish large, independent and well-equipped lower secondary schools to be attended by all the children in a township. After 17 years of operating, lower secondary schools are organisationally very diversified – in some townships, lower secondary schools are large and independent, following the concept of the reformers, but in other townships, they are very small, operating in the same building as the primary school. Children attending the small lower secondary schools remain with the same schoolmates, teachers and social environment for nine years. By using eight case studies of rural townships, the process of setting up lower secondary schools was described, to gain an understanding of the factors determining the evolution of these two or- ganisational models. The case studies show that the school network is not so much the result of local authorities’ pre-established plans, but rather the result of a game between local authorities and local communities.

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