Preliminary results from the main examination session in May showed that 81.1 percent of this year's graduates passed the matura exam required for university admission, state news agency PAP reported.
Another 12.3 percent who failed one compulsory subject are eligible to retake the exam in August, while 6.6 percent failed more than one compulsory subject and must wait until next year to try again, the Central Examination Board (CKE) said.
Pass rates varied by school type. Among graduates of general secondary schools, 85.9 percent passed the exam, while the figure was 71.3 percent for technical secondary schools.
To pass the matura, students must score at least 30 percent in each compulsory subject, which include written exams in Polish, mathematics and a modern foreign language, as well as oral exams in Polish and a foreign language.
Students must also take at least one advanced-level subject, although there is no minimum passing score for those exams.
Officials said 94 percent of graduates passed the written Polish language exam, 86 percent passed mathematics and 95 percent passed English, the most commonly chosen foreign language.
Pass rates for other foreign languages ranged from 91 percent in Russian to 98 percent in Ukrainian.
Average scores were 59 percent in both written Polish and mathematics at the basic level. The average score for basic-level English was 78 percent.
Students eligible for retake exams will sit them on August 24 on 25. Final nationwide results, including the August retake session, are scheduled to be released on September 11.
(gs)
Source: PAP