By 2020, all schools in Poland should have free, high-speed Internet access, according to a law from the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Digitisation, adopted on 13 June.

The law establishes the Ogólnopolska Sieć Edukacyjna (National Education Network, OSE), aiming to offer symmetrical 100 Mbs broadband access to 30,500 schools and educational institutions. According to an announcement by the Ministry of Digitisation, this requires upgrades to the infrastructure for some 5,800 schools in the country. All other schools are to get broadband access through projects financed by the Polska Cyfrowa programme, which is co-funded by the European Commission’s European Regional Development Fund and Cohesion Fund.

With OSE, school’s costs for Internet access will be paid for by the government. The OSE will be a virtual network, to be managed by the Research and Academic Computer Network (NASK), part of the Ministry of Digitisation. NASK will also promote the safe use of information and communication technology, and provide support for the use of ICT in education. NASK will also be made responsible for properly protecting schools and students against network threats.

The OSE law was adopted by Poland’s Council of Ministers on 13 June. Public comments on the law can be submitted until 7 August.

More information:

Announcement by the Ministry of Digitisation (in Polish)
Consultation on the National Educational Network Act (in Polish)