5 myths about private education-facts about private schools

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Private schools and kindergartens in Poland make up a very diverse sector - from small social schools to large international schools. They have one thing in common: each operates according to its own philosophy and organization of work. So instead of being guided by stereotypes, it is worth looking at the facts.

Here are the 5 most popular myths about private education

Myth 1: Private schools are only for the rich

Let's start with the most obvious association. Public schools in Poland are fully funded with public money. In contrast, non-public and private schools are financed largely by parents: tuition fees typically amount to several thousand złoty per month and are often accompanied by a one-time enrolment fee. It certainly sounds like a significant barrier—and for many families, it genuinely is. Often parents are forced to choose a public institution due to financial constraints.

And although public schools are free, this does not mean that parents of children and adolescents attending these institutions do not incur expenses. Many families also pay for extracurricular activities, foreign language classes, and, perhaps most significantly, private tutoring. According to the latest CBOS data, 35% of students in Poland receive private tutoring, with the figure rising to 53% among secondary school students preparing for their final exams (matura). The average monthly cost of private tutoring is approximately 900 PLN, which adds up to as much as PLN 10,000 per year. In addition, parents often incur expenses related to additional classes, tutoring, travel, equipment for the child or participation in school trips. When choosing a private school, some of these extra hours and expenses simply disappear because they are already included in the tuition fee.

On top of that, many schools offer sibling discounts and scholarship programmes for talented students, while family budgets may also benefit from rising wages and social support programmes. For many parents, this is a conscious investment in the future.

"It's not true that the children of rich snobs go to private school. I am a single mother without alimony and I work hard, I deny myself many things so that my child can finish education in this mode, " says Anna, the mother of an eighth-grader from a private school. It's hard to find a stronger counterargument to the myth that private education is merely a luxury indulgence.

Myth 2: "If parents pay, they run the school."

This is one of the most common stereotypes. In practice, non-public schools, just like public schools, operate under education law regulations and their own statutes. In practice, non-public schools, just like public schools, operate on the basis of education law regulations and their own statutes. It is the school’s statute that defines the principles of the institution’s operation, the organization of its work, and the rights and responsibilities of students, parents, and teachers. Although parents are important partners of the school and have the opportunity to cooperate with it and influence selected areas of its operation, they do not independently make decisions regarding how the institution functions. Therefore, paying tuition fees does not grant parents the right to manage the school or make decisions about its organization.

Rather, the difference lies in the model of cooperation. In many non-public schools, parents are more actively involved in school life, have easier access to teachers and school leadership, and can share their ideas and suggestions. However, this does not mean that they make decisions about the curriculum or the organization of the school's work.

Good cooperation is based on partnership, not on the principle of "I pay, so I demand".

Myth 3: Private schools keep children "in the bubble"

One of the main reasons why parents choose private schools is the sense of emotional security of the child. This was indicated by more than 80% of respondents of Our Kids Research from 2019, conducted on a sample of more than a thousand parents in 48 cities throughout Poland.

But a safe learning environment is sometimes mistaken for isolating children from reality. Indeed, many private schools focus on small classes, individual approach and relationship building. But this doesn't mean avoiding challenges or difficult situations.

More and more institutions involve students in social projects, volunteer activities, debates, local initiatives or cooperation with non-governmental organizations. Through this, students learn responsibility, cooperation and independence in practice.

Emotional security does not conflict with preparation for adult life — on the contrary, it can be its foundation. And increasingly, it is private schools and kindergartens that offer greater opportunities to overcome difficulties by exposing children to various kinds of challenges.

Myth 4: Excessive focus on competition and results

"School of leaders", "best of the best", "conquerors of the world" - if you evaluate private schools by advertising slogans alone, you would think that their only goal is to raise an army of small perfectionists who have been racing for the first place on the podium since kindergarten.

While some schools do build their image around high exam scores or academic competitions, this is not a feature of the entire sector.

More and more schools are developing an educational model based not only on academic achievement, but also on student well-being, the development of social skills, critical thinking, creativity and collaboration skills.

For many parents, this approach is now becoming one of the most important criteria for choosing a school.

Myth 5: Choosing a private school is a sign of snobbery

It is easy to assume that the decision to enroll a child in a private school is due to the desire to emphasize social status. However, research by Our Kids shows that parents are most often guided by much more practical reasons: safety, atmosphere, individual approach to the student or the values represented by the school.

This shows that for most families, choosing a school is primarily an attempt to find a place that best suits the needs of a particular child, and not a way to build prestige. Parents, but also the teaching staff of private and non-public institutions want children to be able to develop their skills in the best possible way and to prepare properly for life in an ever-changing world.

There is no such thing as a perfect school — only a school that is the right fit

Private and public schools should not be seen as competing worlds. In both sectors, you can find both outstanding institutions and those that will not meet the expectations of every family.

So instead of being guided by myths, it is worth looking at how a given school works on a daily basis: what is its organizational culture, approach to the student, the way of communication with parents, and the values that it actually implements in practice.

Because the quality of education is not solely determined by the type of school. The most important thing is whether its environment corresponds to the needs and capabilities of a particular child.

References:

Porażka szkolnictwa? Z korepetycji korzysta w Polsce już co trzeci uczeń [Failure of the education system? One in three students in Poland already uses private tutoring]. Portal Samorządowy. Available at: https://www.portalsamorzadowy.pl/edukacja/porazka-szkolnictwa-z-korepetycji-korzysta-w-polsce-juz-co-trzeci-uczen,376433.html
Rynek korepetycji w Polsce [The private tutoring market in Poland]. Ranking Edukacji. Available at: https://www.rankingedukacji.pl/blog/rynek-korepetycji-w-polsce
Ustawa z dnia 14 grudnia 2016 r. – Prawo oświatowe [Act of 14 December 2016 – Education Law]. Internetowy System Aktów Prawnych (ISAP), Journal of Laws 2017, item 59. Available at: https://api.sejm.gov.pl/eli/acts/DU/2017/59/text.html

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