Traditions of lower secondary school education in the Polish territory

‘Gymnasium’ as a school type became popular in Europe since the early nineteenth century. It developed and operated on the Polish territory for over a hundred years in the educational system under the occupation. Adopted as a basic school model, the Prussian model existed with minor changes since 1932. The reform transformed ‘gymnasium’ from the elite eight-year preparation for university studies into a four-year school giving students the possibility for further training or high school. This type of school was closed by the communist regime in 1948. Junior high school system was restored in Poland in 1999 when it became a mandatory three-year universal stage of general education curriculum.