The first strike against religious classes
What lies ahead for Polish schools under the new leadership of the Ministry of Education? The initial move signals an ideological tilt, an anti clerical tone, and a push to rethink how religious instruction fits into the timetable. One of the first public statements from the new team pointed to pulling religion lessons out of the standard course. The proposal suggests placing a single religion session at a different time, with no grade for religion calculated in the average, and a plan to implement this as of September 1.
Deputy Head of the Ministry of National Education, Katarzyna Lubnauer, announced this on Radio Zet. She also noted that all changes to the education plan would take effect at the start of the new school year, with some reforms waiting for broader modules like updated textbooks and public consultation. She emphasized that more sweeping changes would require time and wider discussion, though she quickly added that public consultations on religion were not strictly required since a recent poll suggested broad support for limiting religious lessons. This raised questions about the views of other groups in society and the role of religious institutions in state schooling.
Additional commentary pointed to the need for careful timing, with the caveat that the full package would be introduced gradually to avoid disruption. The Ministry plans public consultations before large-scale changes, especially when it comes to topics embedded in textbooks and national curricula.
The question of abolishing homework
When asked about the abolition of homework, Lubnauer said that work on adjusting homework rules was already underway and would follow standard government procedures, including consultations and inter-ministerial agreements. The plan aims to roll out changes within the school year, but the exact timing would be announced as soon as the framework was ready. She argued that excessive weekend assignments should not weigh on students, and stressed that a reduction in homework would primarily affect younger students while older students would see significant reductions as well.
According to the deputy minister, homework for the youngest groups often proved impractical, because young children cannot complete tasks without support from parents. The broader aim is to reduce unnecessary work for families while preserving meaningful learning for older pupils. The dialogue described the shift as a balancing act between fostering independent work and providing appropriate guidance from home and teachers.
Teacher compensation
On salary questions, Lubnauer pointed to existing teacher statutes, noting that bonuses or pay increases were not planned across the board. She mentioned specific figures tied to appointment, certification, and new teachers, with adjustments expected to be reflected in the budget. The timeline suggested a potential adjustment in early calendar months following the statutory processes, with compensation coming alongside the budget cycle.
Reducing the core curriculum
The push to streamline the core curriculum did not end with religion and homework. Officials proposed cutting the core content by up to 20 percent starting from September, meaning that a portion of material would be removed depending on the topic. The ministry described this as not a revolution, yet the aim was to give teachers greater latitude in selecting topics, expanding or exploring issues in more engaging ways, and even promoting collaborative learning. As a result, the workload tied to homework could also be altered.
Expert teams were to begin shaping the revised core curriculum early in the year and would coordinate with the Central Examination Board so that exam requirements remained aligned with curriculum changes. The intention was to preserve the integrity of assessments while allowing more flexibility in teaching approaches and content selection.
Reading lists and subject choices
There was also talk about limiting the breadth of reading lists and reducing compulsory lectures. Students and teachers alike have expressed frustration at being constrained by a fixed canon from above, which limited content choices and the opportunity to explore topics beyond the prescribed material. The proposal hinted at broadening teacher autonomy, enabling more diverse readings and classroom discussions, and encouraging varied teaching methods.
Specific plans also targeted the History and Present topics, long a point of contention for some political groups. The ministry proposed adjusting the age cohorts entering middle school or primary grades to rethink the HiT program. In coming weeks, a formal proposal would outline changes and the rationale behind them.
Overall, the announcements described a set of changes aimed at reducing the intensity of the current educational program while expanding teacher discretion and adjusting assessment and workload. Yet many observers asked what positive outcomes were expected for students, and whether the reforms would improve learning or simply recalibrate curriculum boundaries. The degree of change remains to be measured as schools begin to implement new practices in the coming terms.
Source commentary and discussions continued as policymakers signaled that more details would follow with public consultation and official updates as plans evolved.