EQUALITY OF CHANCES IN ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION IN POLAND (AFTER THE EXAMPLE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ŁÓDŹ)

Then discussing influence of the State’s social and educational policies on the functioning of higher education - the Author states that the system of education assumes three fundamental functions: 1) it shapes social structure after respective levels of education acquired and, consequently, ensuing revenues and prestige, 2) it increases the potentiality of the society undergoing modernisation processes, 3) it adapts educational structures to demands of labour market. Next the Author cites the results of research work operated on candidates for studies in the University of Łódź during final years of the nineties. More particularly - the influence of professions and education level of parents as well as of habitation were examined first of all in respect to preferences of the youth in relation to particular types of higher education. Researchers followed vicissitudes of primary schools graduates, motivations of choosing high schools and also - social structure of candidates for higher schools. The opinions of young people relating to payable schools (i.e. private schools, external or evening courses) have been also collected and examined