Private education’s rise in Poland looks to continue

Significance

Private schooling in Poland appears to be a growth industry. This development, often blamed on the educational reforms implemented by the current Law and Justice (PiS) government, may be due to other factors, such as dissatisfaction with the reforms’ fallout, rising prosperity and willingness to pay for better educational outcomes.

Impacts

• Growth in private education may lead to decreased funding for public education, driving parent satisfaction down further.
• Inequality of outcomes may rise, as private schools start attracting higher-skilled students, who currently tend to attend state schools.
• The government may further centralise and tighten its grip on the curriculum in private schools should they display too much independence.