Sytuacja polskich szkół sobotnich w Wielkiej brytanii

• Authors: Podhorecka Aleksandra

Title variants

EN

Contemporary activity of polish saturday shools in Great Britain and Ireland

• Languages of publication: PL EN

Abstracts

EN

t the beginning of her exposé the author explains the reasons why so many Polish people found themselves in Great Britain at the end of the Second World War. She describes the political situation at the time and presents the difficult position of the Polish émigrés.Two matters needed immediate attention after the war: pastoral care and Polish education. The Polish Catholic Mission organised the pastoral care and the Polish Educational Society took over responsibility for the Polish Saturday Schools. The author cites the reasons for the existence of these Supplementary Schools and describes their difficult but also very effective beginnings. She also presents the history of their achievements over a fifty year period. She underlines the involvement of Polish families in that educational process and praises their patriotism and their understanding of the need to promote mother tongue teaching. The author dedicates a section to the history of Polish exams in England and their inherent part in the schools’ activities. They have always been the ‘icing on the cake’ in the educational process. She also provides the reader with some examination statistics, which illustrate perfectly the development of Polish education in England. The aims of this have always been threefold: idealistic, formal and practical. Poland’s entry into the European Union dramatically changed the face of Polish education in England, which was slowly moving towards decline. The huge influx of Polish families has led to renewed interest in Saturday schools. New schools have been established throughout the United Kingdom; the number of pupils has grown dramatically, as has the number of candidates taking Polish exams. The future of these schools is secure at least for the time being. The author ends her discourse by expressing concern about Polish children who do not have the opportunity to attend a Saturday school and learn the Polish language. A life opportunity wasted!

Keywords

EN

Polish education; Saturday school; Polska Macierz Szkolna (Polish Educational Society)

• Publisher: Polski Uniwersytet na Obczyźnie w Londynie
• Journal: Zeszyty Naukowe PUNO
• Year: 2015
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 67-81

Contributors

author

Podhorecka Aleksandra

• Polska Macierz Szkolna, Londyn

References

• Goławski M., „Wychowanie Ojczyste”, Londyn, 1964, nr 4.
• Statystyki Assessment Qualification Alliance