Edukacja przedszkolna w Polsce – od transformacji ustrojowej do współczesności
The Situation of Kindergartens in Poland – from the Period of Political Transformation to the Present Day

Summary/Abstract: The changes related to the political transformation which took place in our country also affected education and, consequently, preschool education. The state delegated the responsibility for the administration of public schools, kindergartens and other educational institutions to local authorities, which involved a certain limitation in terms of the availability of kindergartens in some regions. A decrease in the number of children attending such institutions was particularly observed in rural communes. Poland’s accession to the European Union was a crucial factor stimulating dissemination and availability of preschool education. Local governments and other entities running kindergartens took advantage of the opportunity created by the European Social Fund. Nowadays, a wide variety of preschool education forms and institutions providing such education as well as educational offers can be observed. Nevertheless, there are still some areas which require support, and social debate on the effectiveness of preschool education is also needed. The way preschool establishments have come and the changes they have undergone over the past 25 years are particularly noteworthy. Starting from the period of neglect of infrastructure and the closure of preschool institutions, we have now entered the stage of clear understanding of the crucial role played by preschool education in further psychophysical development of a child and, at the same time, awareness of the need to invest both in physical and human capital of this important area of national education.

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