I find it odd that you've decided to equate communism with poor education. The Soviets put the first man in space, I'd say they must have been doing something right (edit: I should add they were still doing plenty wrong elsewhere but we're only talking education here). Having the resources to apply that education is a whole other matter of course.

Having said that, Poland is hardly a typical example of an ex-communist country here, they always tended to have fairly high education standards. Of the former communist states in the OECD stats linked by parent, they lead the pack with only Estonia slightly ahead.