Establishment of the Bialystok Education Center as a merger of the Center for Continuing Education and the Municipal Methodological Consulting Center

2023-05-04 16:07:28

From the new school year, a new facility will appear on the educational map of Białystok. It will be located in a post-gymnasium building at ul. Hotter. For years, the Continuing Education Center has been located here, which will merge with the Municipal Methodical Consulting Center located in the Complex of General and Technical Schools in Antoniuk Fabryczny.

The activities of both institutions are aimed at adults who want to improve their education – explained Anita Żukowska from the education department of the Białystok City Hall.

In addition, according to the city, the merger of the two facilities will reduce the general management (administration) costs of the individual facilities that are part of the team, which will operate under the direction of one director and with common administration and service. Employees who will not be in the new structure will be employed in other facilities.

MODM currently uses 16 rooms belonging to the Complex of General and Technical Schools in Białystok.

– Every year the number of students in this complex increases, which is why MODM has to vacate the rooms – explained Anita Żukowska.

Joanna Misiuk, chairwoman of the education committee of the city council, said that the merger of these two institutions is one of the best planned connections in education by the city.

– First of all, because both educate adults – justified the councilor of the Civic Coalition. – It is true that CKU educates people after primary school, middle school or high school, but it also runs courses for university graduates. However, MODM is really an institution that develops our teachers. That is, we do not combine schools with small children with those learning in older classes. In addition, MODM will have its own building.

Agnieszka Rzeszewska disagreed with this argument. The PiS councilor appreciated the intention to move MODM to ul. Ciepła, because – as she reminded – both institutions wandered around different schools for years, but she does not consider their combination to be a reasonable idea.

– Each deals with the education of completely different professional groups – explained the councilor, also the head of the educational Solidarity (the union gave a negative opinion on the draft resolution, but it is not binding for the city).

Agnieszka Rzeszewska also reminded that it was thanks to PiS councilors that in the previous term of office it was possible to protect ZSOiT from liquidation.

Tomasz Kalinowski, on the other hand, saw a chance that CKU would pull MODM up in terms of the use of EU funds.

– The first institution is a leader, the second one is lame in this respect – said the councilor of Poland 2050. – On the other hand, MODM can suggest how to improve recruitment to post-secondary schools. There used to be 50 branches, today about three.

Ultimately, 18 councilors supported the establishment of the Bialystok Education Center, eight abstained, and two did not take part in the vote.