Answers to the conference issues from Poland

The school-leaving "maturity" exam (Matura) in Poland is held at the end of upper secondary general education (4 years) and upper secondary technical and vocational education (5 or 4 years).

It is a form of evaluation of the level and quality of general education acquired by pupils leaving upper secondary schools. Positive results obtained in this exam are a basis for the Matura certificate. The certificate is required in order to gain access to higher education.

The admission requirements and rules of recruitment to public higher education institutions are defined by the senates of these establishments. In the majority of them there are organised entrance examinations.

However, in non-public higher education institutions the Matura certificate is the only requirement for admission. In addition to this, some faculties organise interviews in order to check the applicants' dispositions to a given specialisation.

In secondary vocational schools the Matura certificate proves the acquisition of both general and vocational knowledge and skills. Therefore, it gives entitlement to entry to higher education or to employment in a given job/specialisation.

The Matura certificate mentions the courses and the marks obtained on completion of the school, as well as the marks in the examination. They may be taken into consideration as an additional criterion of admission to certain higher education establishments.

It is expected that in the reformed system of education in Poland the Matura examination, being external and standardised, will gradually replace entrance examinations to higher education establishments.

ISSUE 2: Compulsory and optional subjects in the final examination

2.1.

At present the written part of the Matura examination in Poland comprises two subject: the mother tongue (which is compulsory) and one optional subject chosen from the following: history, biology, mathematics, a modern foreign language, chemistry, physics, Latin.

The oral part comprises three subjects: the mother tongue and a modern foreign language (which are compulsory) and one optional subject. The optional subjects from which pupils are able to choose are: the second modern foreign language, a classical language (Latin, Greek), history, geography, chemistry, biology, mathematics, physics and computer science.

The aim of the division into compulsory and optional subjects is to allow pupils to demonstrate his or her knowledge of the subjects, which he or she prefers and which correspond, with his or her plans of future studies.

The spectrum of optional subjects is wide enough to cover different learning profiles existing in the Polish general secondary schools. The basic profiles are as follows: o general education o mathematics and physics o the humanities o natural sciences (biology and chemistry) o linguistics o mathematics and computer science.

2.2.

From the school-year 2001/2002 the new Matura examination will be implemented for all pupils leaving general secondary schools in Poland. /Decree by the Minister of National Education of 19 April 1999/

Its written part will comprise three compulsory subjects: the mother tongue, a modern foreign language, mathematics, and one optional subject. The optional subjects from whom pupils will be able to choose will be: biology, chemistry, physics, geography, history, the second modern foreign language, a classical language (Latin, Greek).

Its oral part will comprise the mother tongue and a modern foreign language

2.3

From 2002, within the framework of the New Matura, each pupil leaving upper secondary school will have a choice between two levels: ordinary and advanced, with respect to compulsory subjects.

ISSUE 3 Assessment and certification of achievements

3.1. The definition of national standards

Educational standards obligatory at the end of upper secondary schools and binding during the Matura examination are not defined in any separate document but can be detected from curricula. Curricula to be used in secondary schools in Poland are approved by the Minister of National Education. They include attainment targets, teaching content (information and knowledge), pupil exercises (abilities and skills to be developed), methods and the duration of particular tasks. Sets of topics for examinations are prepared on the basis of requirements included in curricula.

The responsibility for the organisation of the maturity examinations falls on the school superintendent (kurator) for a respective area (voivodship). The topics for written examinations had been prepared until last year in 49 superintendent's offices, and since this year, as a result of the reformed administrative division of the country, they have been prepared in 16 only. The topics of oral examinations are prepared by examining teachers. The examinations are held, assessed and marks are awarded by State Examination Commissions established in schools every year.

Several years ago, within the framework of the Nowa Matura Programme, school superintendents started co-operation aimed at the development of common regional examination standards. Thanks to this initiative, it is now possible to speak about the comparability, or equivalence, of Matura in a given region.

According to the most recent Regulation (Decree of April 19, 1999), new national requirement standards will be binding as from 2002. Maturity exams will be carried out by 8 Regional Examination Commissions. Each Commission will design a syllabus two years prior to the exam, i.e. in spring 2000.

3.2 What is to be measured: knowledge alone or skills and abilities?

With written exams both knowledge and the ability of independent analysis and problem solving are measured (pupils are not allowed to use any type of reference materials). The ability of writing essays is also required.

Oral exams serve to check pupils' ability to apply the acquired knowledge and skills, as well as to make proper use of laboratory tools. (During the examination in physics pupils have to design and carry out a laboratory experiment.)

3.3

Assessment of different levels of examination.

The Matura examination is carried out at one level in the mother tongue and at two levels - basic and extended - in optional subjects (depending on the curriculum for a given profile).

ISSUE 4: External and/or internal (school-based) final examinations

4.1.

The Matura examination in Poland is characterised by both external and internal components. The external component is reflected in its written part and refers only to the arrangement that topics of the Matura written exams are set by regional education authorities (kuratoria). The examinations are taken on the same day at the same time in all schools. However, the evaluation of written works and awarding of marks are internal, i.e. remaining the responsibility of teachers-examiners of each school.

Oral examinations are internal - the board of teachers from a given school (the examination commission) is responsible for both the preparation of subjects (questions) and the assessment of pupils' knowledge.

4.2

From 2002 the Matura examination will be organised by an external body - the Regional Examination Commission. This Commission will prepare subjects and questions for both written and oral examinations. Written tests will be corrected and marked by teams of external examiners, appointed and authorised to do so by Regional Examination Commissions. The internal character of the examination will consist in the fact that the oral part will be held within the school and the final marks will be awarded by a jury made up of the teachers from this school. Positive results obtained in oral examinations will allow admission to external written examinations. The final marks will be placed on the certificate separately for oral and written parts.

ISSUE 5: The organisation of the final examination
The dates and duration of the final examination

The dates of the written maturity examinations in the winter and spring sessions are defined by the Minister of National Education in the organisation of the school year (school calendar). The beginning of the winter session falls in the middle of January and the beginning of the spring session falls about 10 May each year. The dates as well as the hours at which the examinations start are settled the same for the whole country. Examination sessions, both written and oral parts, last about one month.

5.1. The design of topics

The topics (questions) of the written exams are fixed by the school superintendent (kurator, regional education authority) for the respective area. The school superintendent takes into account examination questions proposed by expert teachers. It is possible to have the same topics and questions for a few voivodships.

Properly protected sets of topics are delivered to the Chairman of the State Examination Commission, which can be established either in school or at school superintendent's office.

The topics of oral examinations are prepared by examining teachers, upon consultation with experts from in-service teacher's training centres.

5.2. The time available for grading the papers.

The Chairman of the Commission establishes the deadline for the correcting and assessing the written part of an examination. It usually lasts one week. He or she also announces the results and sets the list of pupils who will sit for oral exams in different subjects. The exact date, time and a list of members of each subject examination board are settled.

5.3. Regulations for sitting examinations and the invigilation of examinations.

The organisation and the course of examination are supervised by the respective school superintendent. In case examination rules are infringed, the Chairman of the Commission or a staff member of the institution, which has pedagogical supervision over secondary schools, can suspend the examinations and inform about it the school superintendent.

In this case the school superintendent appoints a special commission with the view to clearing the circumstances of the incident and finding a person responsible for it among the teachers or pupils. Depending on the account of the commission, the school superintendent takes a decision to either continue or invalidate the examinations. In the latter case the exam has to be repeated. The Ministry of National Education has to be notified about it.

5.4. The rules of payment for grading the papers.

Teachers who are members of the Examination Commission are paid for their work according to the rules of payment for overtime.

5.5. The role of external assessors

The external experts are sent by the school superintendent as observers (subject advisers, academic teachers) or pedagogical supervisors. They check if the examinations are held in compliance with the instructions.

5.6. Regulations and provision for students with special needs

The date of the Matura examination for pupils with special needs is the same for the whole country. In exceptional cases the Chairman gives permission to organise examinations in separate room, at home or even in hospital if the doctor gives an opinion that it is necessary and the examinee can write and speak.

5.7. Student's rights to complain and complaint procedures

The examination marks, awarded by the Chairman acting in consultation with other examining teachers, in accordance with the grading scale in force, are definitive.

However, the examinee has a right to appeal to the institution of pedagogical supervision (school superintendent's office) if the rules of running the exam have been infringed. In order to clarify the circumstances of the incident, the school superintendent appoints a special commission, which was, described in point 4.

ISSUE 6: Evaluation at the national level. Upper secondary education - future developments

The reformed secondary school in Poland will be divided into 2 levels: lower secondary (3-year gymnasium) and upper secondary (3-year specialised lyceum or 2-year vocational school and 2-year supplementary lyceum). At the end of each level there will be an examination.

On completion of the upper secondary education, pupils will sit for the national (State) maturity exam. Requirement criteria of the maturity exam will be defined by the Central Examination Commission.

The national maturity exam will cover compulsory and optional subjects. Three compulsory subjects are planned: the mother tongue, mathematics and a modern foreign language. Exams in compulsory subjects will be organised at 2 levels: basic (ordinary) and advanced. Beside compulsory subjects, each pupil will have to choose one subject from the following: history, biology, chemistry, physics, geography, second modern foreign language, a classical language. The list of subjects for selection can be extended as needs arise.

Written exam will be prepared and assessed by Regional Examination Commissions. Oral exams are planned in two subjects: the Polish language and foreign language. They will be held at school, according to the regulations of Regional Examination Commissions and under their supervision.

This new maturity exam will be obligatory from the school year 2001/2002 in the still existing general secondary schools, from 2004/2005 in specialised lyceums, from 2005/2006 in supplementary lyceums. Requirement criteria will be based on core curricula for upper secondary education.

Graduates from 2-year upper secondary vocational schools will sit for a national vocational exam, conducted by external examination commissions. It will aim at checking whether graduates have possessed knowledge included in core curriculum for a given vocation. It is planned that in the future this exam will be based on vocational qualification standards defined together with employers and entrepreneurs.

Graduates from 2-year vocational schools will also have a possibility of passing the Matura, on the condition they successfully complete the 2-year supplementary lyceum.

The aims of the whole process of reforming the evaluation system in Poland are the following:

• to assess the level of specific knowledge and skills achieved as a result of general education on the basis of generally known, comparable assessment criteria;
  
• to introduce comparable (uniform) syllabus, generally known and presented to both teachers and students appropriately in advance via special publications (informational newsletters, examination materials etc.);
  
• to get groups of independent examiners involved in assessment (of at least some parts of the maturity exam);
  
• to assure equivalence of maturity certificates all over Poland and Europe;
  
• to make the maturity certificate become a pass to higher education schools, thus eliminating entrance examinations.