Graph: 3.27 Results of the mathematics-natural sciences section of the lower secondary school exam in voivodeships in 2010 (country mean=1) 3%
2.2% 2.2%
2%
1.5% 0.7% 0.8% 0.3% 0.5% 0.1% 0.2% 0.2%
1% 0% -0.1%
-1% -2%
-1.5%
-1.1%
-0.9%
-0.6%
-3% -4% -3.7%
Source: Own study on the basis of data from the Central Examination Board.
Analysing the county level results reveals new aspects of spatial differentiation. First of all, what draws ones attention is the high results achieved in urban counties, especially in major Polish cities. But, not only metropolises achieve above-average results, however, the ranking is as follows: Warsaw 1.189; Krosno 1.172; Cracow 1.171; Wrocław 1.165; Lublin 1.145; Gdynia 1.138; Sopot 1.134; Piaseczno county 1.133; Wadowice county 1.128; Pruszków county 1.120; Rzeszów 1.115; Białystok 1.114; Olsztyn 1.112; Nowy Sącz 1.106; Poznań 1.104; Otwock county 1.100; Opole 1.100. Apart from major cities, a selection of medium cities and counties within the metropolitan area of Warsaw stand out. The worst results were achieved by rural counties located predominantly in the West of the country (see Map 3.13). Eastern and Southeastern Poland (excluding the Świętokrzyskie voivodeship) have a relatively good ranking. Also in their case, an internal divide within the regions can be observed i.e. in the Mazovian voivodeship, the Lower Silesian voivodeship, the Kuyavian-Pomeranian voivodeship and the Pomeranian voivodeship. Explaining such a territorial distribution is not easy. For example, high average exam results were reported in counties of Eastern Poland which are among the least economically developed counties in the country. Contrary examples can be found in counties of Greater Poland or Lower Silesia, which are economically well-developed regions, but report low average exam results. A detailed analysis shows that trying to explain these differences with welfare, the available intellectual capital (level of population’s education) or the quality of education (well-equipped schools, highly qualified teachers) is insufficient (see: Herbst 2012).
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