Exemption from exams is a dream for many pupils and students. Primary school pupils can achieve this by becoming winners in one of the Board of Education’s competitions. Success brings significant rewards, including:

• an A in the relevant subject in their end-of-year assessment,
• maximum result in the exam without having to sit it,
• priority admission to the school of their choice.

Sounds ideal, doesn’t it? However, such an accolade must be earned, and it requires a tremendous amount of effort. Many students prepare for these competitions over several years, hoping to secure a stress-free future – though, unfortunately, success is never guaranteed. The competition requirements are demanding and, in some cases, excessively so.

A teacher, known as Jud_czyta on X, recently exposed the level of English proficiency required to win a primary school English language competition, expressing her apparent frustration at the challenging criteria.

Each Board of Education’s competition may operate under slightly different rules. Jud_czyta closely examined the requirements for students in the Małopolska voivodeship and reached some alarming conclusions.

"The level of the eighth-grade exam? A2. The extended matura exam level? B2. The level for the provincial competition stage in Małopolska? C1. That’s the level of English expected in university studies. Has someone lost their mind?" the teacher wrote on X, highlighting the extensive knowledge required of students entering the competition.

The C1 level in a foreign language signifies fluency and proficiency, including a wide-ranging vocabulary (technical, professional, etc.) and the ability to write formal letters or engage in debates. As Jud_czyta rightly pointed out, this level is typically achieved by language students and native speakers.

Internet users rallied behind the teacher, also voicing their shock at the absurd requirements of the Małopolska Board of Education. "Could it be that they have too many winners because some children are bilingual, and they’re trying to limit the number this way?" questioned Mara.

Jud_czyta emphasised that such practices should not be allowed, as they are unfair to pupils who haven’t had the same early advantages. Other commentators agreed, pointing out that this level of language proficiency is typically attained in higher education or the workplace, and imposing such high standards on young students is unreasonable.