President Lech Kaczynski said today that the government policy of introducing US style universities and tuition fees, is against the Polish Constitution.
President Kaczynski does support the idea of reforming higher education in Poland, but opposes the abolition of the uniquely Polish scientific titles and introducing tuition fees at state universities.
During the ceremony of awarding professor titles the president explained that higher education in Poland is in need of reform.
However, he criticized the scheme proposed by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. Kaczynski said it would be impossible to transform Polish universities into US ones in two years' time and that abolishing the Polish system of scientific titles may prove discouraging to members of the academe.
The president was also strongly critical of the plan to introduce tuition fees for full-time students of state universities, saying it was against the constitution. Additionally, according to Kaczynski, health care and education should not, if possible, be governed by free market rules.
In conclusion, the president announced that during his term he had so far awarded 1,100 professor titles. (mn)