Social education on extreme natural events in view of extreme floods and landslides in Poland

The contents of geography textbooks and school atlases have become the basis to elaborate on preparations of our society for contact with natural hazards. Leaving aside the causes of more frequent inflow of information about natural disasters, the question comes up on the effectiveness of education in view of raising education level intended in the reform of education system of 1999. This research was conducted in post middle schools in Warsaw in 2006/07. The debate on the need for broad geography education about natural hazards in the schooling period was started. It was pointed out that it is necessary to develop the ability to understand and recognize the hazard and the attitude which allows to take responsible decisions prior to, in the face of and following an extreme natural event.