Entrepreneurship education at secondary level in transition economies: A case of Poland

Abstract

Objective: The goal of the paper is to present changes in entrepreneurship education (EE) in Poland at lower and upper-secondary schools after the reform of the education system of 1999 in the light of the national core curriculum (NCC) analysis. Research Design & Methods: The analysis of the NCC was based on the method and criteria developed in the European research project Fifobi and includes four basic competencies related to the following: economy knowledge, business knowledge, social competences and self-competences associated with entrepreneurial attitudes. Findings: The analysis of content distribution of the NCC for secondary schools indicates that competencies in the field of economic knowledge prevail, the contents of all entries in this field are based on the obligatory subjects “civics” (lower-secondary) “Basics of Entrepreneurship”[“BE”] (upper-secondary). Social and self-competencies are treated quite marginally in the NCC. Implications & Recommendations: The need to clarify the records of the NCC and modification of the NCC records in terms of entrepreneurship so that a greater emphasis was placed on social and personal competencies, not only the competencies based on economic knowledge. Contribution & Value Added: The article can contribute to a better understanding of the level and structure of EE in Poland. The research conclusions may serve as guidelines to educational policy, not only in Poland but also in other countries transforming their economies, and to international comparative studies.