In Brief: Health sector crisis; Crooked exams; Lack of truancy control; Catholic Book Fair

In the first quarter, the value of health fund premiums collected was lower than anticipated. If the situation does not improve, than the health sector might be short of even zł. 2 billion. Hospital directors received appendixes to 2003 contracts, according to which, "We are to agree to receive less money for our work, if the National Health Fund collects less money," said one of them. Contracts for the current year were in most cases lower than those for 2002 by up to 20%. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A4) ...Members of the examination board checking nationwide tests sat by final year primary school children earlier this month, found corrections clearly made by another person. The serious irregularities may put the validity of the whole exam in question and all pupils may be forced to resit the exam. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A4) ... In each of the 35 schools examined by the Supreme Board of Inspection (NIK), three or four students, "Broke the regulations that all children under the age of 18 must attend lessons", that is, rarely attend school. In most cases the schools had no detailed information about pupils who failed to attend. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 7) ... Over 90 publishers will present their books during the IX Catholic book fair which opens today in Warsaw. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A1) J.K./M.M.