LEGAL STATUS OF TEACHERS AND THEIR ROLE IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF POLISH EDUCATIONAL POLICY IN VOLYN VOIVODESHIP DURING THE INTERWAR PERIOD
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24919/2519-058X.37.346058Abstract
The purpose of the research is to analyse the main responsibilities of teachers in the field of education and upbringing of local schoolchildren, to outline the legal status of educators in accordance with the legislation of interwar Poland, to characterise their place and role in the state policy of that time, to present the activities of the Union of Polish Teachers in Volyn Voivodeship and its impact on the educational development and pedagogical thought in the region. The methodology of the research is based on analytical, comparative, historical, statistical, problematic, chronological methods. The Scientific Novelty of the article consists in the fact that it was possible to reveal the peculiarities of the legal status of teachers in Volyn Voivodeship during the interwar period for the first time, based on previously unknown archival documents, government decrees, school legislation, as well as the works of Ukrainian and foreign historiography. The role of teachers in the implementation of state policy has been clarified, and discrimination against teachers of Ukrainian nationality in the provision of social guarantees and material support has been demonstrated. Conclusions. The restored Second Polish Republic tried to spread a unified system of education throughout all the annexed voivodeships, including Volyn. Due to teachers’ work, it was possible to implement the above-mentioned task. The functioning of the educational mechanism at all levels of schooling depended primarily on them. Consequently, the teachers were appointed primarily as representatives of the Polish nationality. Teachers were closely monitored by the educational administration and had to perform burdensome reporting work. The shortage of teachers was perhaps the biggest issue in the educational activities of interwar Poland, especially in the eastern Voivodeships. The Polish Teachers’ Union played an important role in raising the profile of teachers and improving their financial situation. The organisation tried to make the teaching profession democratic, independent of excessive interference from school inspectors and supervisors.
Key words: teachers, interwar period, Second Polish Republic, Volyn Voivodeship, education system, Polish teachers’ union.
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