Opposition MPs have urged Mirosława Stachowiak-Różecka, the head of the parliamentary education committee, to be recalled from her post. They claim she convened a meeting about the draft amendment to the Education Act in violation of the Sejm Rules of Procedure. Stachowiak-Różecka maintains that the meeting complied with the rules.
On Tuesday, July 11, the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Science and Youth met to deliver the first reading of the government’s draft amendment to the Education Act, which includes the creation of a network of sectoral skills centres. Opposition deputies then filed motions to adjourn the meeting, arguing there was too little time between the submission of the bill to the Sejm on July 10 and the committee meeting. The motions were not accepted, and the opposition MPs left, insisting the meeting had been convened in violation of the Rules of Procedure.
Continuation of the procedure
After the decision to accelerate the meeting date, the committee proceeded with its work and the amendments proposed by PiS at the first reading were approved. On Wednesday, a vote was held to schedule a second reading for that day due to the contentious issue. Project reporter Teresa Wargocka (PiS) noted that opposition deputies considered Tuesday’s committee meeting illegal, and stated that the chair, after consulting the Legislative Bureau of the Sejm, moved the meeting to a shortened date, which was approved; the opposition members did not participate in the vote and subsequently left the meeting.
On Thursday, the committee met again to discuss amendments to the draft Education Act in the second reading. Before the vote, MP Piotr Borys (KO) spoke for the opposition, saying the procedure was illegal and that, in the opinion of all lawyers, the bill should not enter legal circulation due to errors in how the committee was convened.
Mirosława Stachowiak-Różecka (PiS), the committee chair, cited a provision from the Rules of Procedure of the Sejm stating that the first reading may not occur earlier than seven days after the bill is handed to deputies, unless the Sejm or the committee decides otherwise, and pointed out that the opposition deputies did not participate in the vote on the shortened term.
Later at a press conference, KO MP Krystyna Szumilas described the situation as another unprecedented scandal in the Sejm.
Stachowiak-Różecka stated that the committee meeting was convened in accordance with the rules and that the approach to the meeting was agreed by the program committee. She explained that the first reading took place with a shortened timeline and that the Sejm later voted for the second reading to occur during the same session.
She added that the claim of rule violations did not reflect the sequence of events. A spokesperson noted that the second reading would proceed as scheduled in the current session.
The discussion received reactions from opposition members who criticized what they described as a procedural breach. They argued that the process undermined transparency and advised pursuing formal channels to address concerns about potential unlawful actions.
Opposition figures called for scrutiny and accountability, including motions to address alleged deviations from proper procedure and to inform the prosecutor’s office of possible abuses of power. Some opposition representatives described the events as a pattern of lawfulness being undermined by the majority in power.
Lawlessness and perceived injustice were topics of commentary from members of the left, who argued that actions during committee meetings harmed not only opposition members but teachers, students, local governments, universities, and those who rely on a clear and reliable education law.
Witnesses and commentators urged that the chairman be held to account and that proper procedures be observed to ensure the law remains robust and predictable for the education sector.
Opposition members stated they would not participate in further committee actions while the current procedure remained in question, asserting that allowing such conduct would set a dangerous precedent for the education process.
Some participants described the events as a broader political struggle over control of the education agenda, with debate centering on the balance between expediency and adherence to established rules.
During a later gathering, a representative from the libertarian faction indicated support for actions aiming to remove the chair of the education committee, framing it as a necessary step to restore proper governance and accountability.
Stachowiak-Różecka’s answer
The committee chair defended the procedure in an interview, saying everything was done in line with the Sejm rules. She noted that the first reading had been agreed to on a shorter date through a vote by the program committee, and that the full Sejm subsequently approved the second reading to occur within the same session.
The chair emphasized that the public record shows the Sejm’s majority supported moving the second reading to the current session, countering claims of illegal timing. The conversation continued as the session progressed, with ongoing debate about the proper cadence of readings and the impact on the education act.
gah/PAP