<P> The PiS government of Poland introduced a major educational reform in 2016, for successive implementation over the three school years starting with 2017 / 2018 . The reform reverts the overall organisational structure from 6 (primary) + 3 (junior high school) + 3 (high school) years of education to 8 (primary school) + 4 (high school) years . According to history teacher Anna Dzierzgowska, the reform inherits the Polish - centred and Eurocentric focuses of the previous history syllabus, removes the Non-Aligned Movement from the syllabus, and focuses on political and military leaders and the nobility, neglecting the historical role of lower social classes . The term communism was removed from teaching about the nineteenth century, during which it is called socialism, and only appears later in association with the Polish People's Republic . Dzierzgowska argues that the notion of nationalism historically dates only back to the nineteenth century, but is used much too frequently in the new curriculum, giving pupils insufficient geographical context . </P> <P> In 2006, in response to the suicide of a girl after she was sexually molested in school, the Polish Minister of Education, Roman Giertych, launched a "zero tolerance" school reform . Under this plan, teachers would have the legal status of civil servants, making violent crimes against them punishable by higher penalties . Head teachers (equivalent to principals in the US) will be, in theory, able to send aggressive pupils to perform community service and these students' parents may also be fined . Teachers who fail to report violent acts in school could face a prison sentence . </P>

What is the education system like in poland