Poles unhappy with their education

The report’s co-author Irena Kotowska, from the Warsaw School of Economics, explained that “the main cause of not achieving the desired level of qualifications was the desire to gain [financial] independence, in particular among men.”

Kotowska noted that the birth of a child was also mentioned as a reason.

The report found significant benefits of better education, as 40 percent of those with just basic qualifications had a first job with no formal written contract, indicating employment in the grey economy.

Meanwhile, 80 percent of those who had finished university began their first job as a full-time employee.

The research by the Warsaw School of Economics and the Educational Research Institute also showed that women were more likely to be disappointed by their educational achievements than men, while city dwellers were more likely to than people who live in the countryside.

Younger adults were more likely to have this sentiment than older adults.

Kotowska noted that women, city dwellers and younger adults in Poland tend to have higher educational qualifications than men, rural inhabitants and older adults respectively.

She commented that their pessimistic evaluations may therefore be explained by the strong educational aspirations of these groups.

Meanwhile Dr. Agnieszka Chłoń-Domińczak of the Educational Research Institute, the second co-author, noted that the data suggests low levels of education have a negative effect on social mobility.

“If in a family there are people with a low level of education, then this also influences the children of this family,” she reflected.

“They are more likely than their peers to have a poor level of educations.” (sl/nh)

Source: PAP