Teacher Training in the Kielce Region in 1989–2005

Abstract

The events of 1989 became a source of changes in all areas of political, social, economic and cultural-educational life. Radical changes that took place at the beginning of the 1990s became a source of new educational problems. It became necessary to redefine the ideas, tasks, and goals of education and to formulate a program for their implementation. The state of education, which was the effect of the previous political system, required concrete corrective actions. Lack of proper teacher education was also a problem for the Kielce region. As a result of political changes that took place after 1989, the education system began to be adapted to the requirements of civilization at the turn of the 20^th and 21^st centuries. Not only did changes in the structure of education of children and youth, but also teacher education prove necessary. The idea was to create conditions so that the teaching staff would be chosen by the youngest people who identify with the profession of the teacher. Educational authorities also recognized the need to educate teachers of these specialties that would meet the current needs of education. Kindergarten and primary school teachers were to gain professional qualifications in colleges in the form of higher vocational studies. It was also planned to introduce a two-subject teacher education and to adapt the system of their improvement to changes taking place in education. In the years 1996–2000, the education structure of newly admitted teachers improved. More and more of them had higher education, at the same time the number of teachers with secondary education and at the level of the teacher study and the college was systematically decreasing. The number of full-time teachers with master’s degree was systematically increasing. After 1989, the number of teachers with higher education who did not have pedagogical qualifications was constantly decreasing.