Program Overview: School Voucher – Discover Poland
The government has introduced the School Voucher program to encourage students to explore Poland’s landscapes, culture, and heritage. The aim is to foster national pride and a positive sense of identity among young people, as articulated by Przemysław Czarnek, the Minister of Culture and National Heritage. He described the approach as a pedagogy of pride rather than a pedagogy of shame.
Introducing a New Initiative: School Voucher – Meet Poland
During a briefing in Serokomla, Lubelskie Voivodeship, the Minister of Education and Science outlined the latest addition to the PiS program for the coming term. The new component, School Voucher – Meet Poland, will co-finance two-day educational trips for every class and every student in Poland.
Minister Przemysław Czarnek noted that nearly five million students are expected to visit key destinations across the country next year. He spoke at a conference where the ministry’s plans were presented, emphasizing broad access to learning experiences tied to national sites and stories.
Two years earlier, the program launched as Meet Poland and, to date, has helped hundreds of thousands of children travel across Poland with substantial funding. The head of the Ministry of Education and Science highlighted the rapid demand for funding and the popularity of the program, noting that the available funds were exhausted in a short time during prior editions.
Because of strong interest and willingness from students to experience Poland firsthand, Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczyński and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki decided to expand funding. The new plan, based on the Discover Poland model, aims to create the School Voucher – Get to Know Poland program with increased support for participants.
The question of how the program will operate was answered by the minister: every student will receive financial assistance, and interested schools do not need to race to secure funds first thing in the morning because allocations will be available more broadly.
In related notes, discussions referenced additional updates to the program and related coverage in quick-read formats that summarize the key points of the PiS initiatives, the ongoing discussion around patriotic education, and public responses to these policies.
Access for Up to 5 Million Students
The minister stated that beginning in spring next year, provided schools express willingness and local authorities approve, nearly five million children and teenagers could have opportunities to explore Poland’s beauty and culture firsthand. The overarching goal remains to instill a sense of national pride through direct, experiential learning about the country’s heritage.
According to the minister, this program could spur growth in Poland’s tourism sector. If five million students, along with teachers and caregivers, participate, there would be heightened activity in spring and autumn, extending beyond peak travel seasons. The plan is also seen as a potential boost to the Polish transport industry, given the need for transportation logistics for large groups of learners.
Officials described the School Voucher – Get to Know Poland as a significant step in patriotic education, praised for shifting away from the previous approach and toward a more proactive, pride-centered curriculum that supports ongoing national identity development.
Funding Rules and Adjustments
During media interactions, the ministry clarified how funding levels have evolved. Previously, schools could apply for different grant amounts under Discover Poland: a base amount for a one-day trip, higher sums for longer trips. The plan now is to adjust these rules, with funding likely to remain substantial and capable of covering a large share of trip costs. The revised framework is expected to be announced in the fall, with aims to kick off funding in the spring so that every eligible school has a fair chance to participate.
Officials stressed that the funding envelope will be well over a billion zlotys, replacing past totals of hundreds of millions over multiple years. The intent is to provide broad access to experiential learning experiences in both spring and autumn, ensuring widespread participation across the country.
Education Subsidies and Civic Education
In online communications, education officials highlighted increases in education subsidies and overall investments in schooling under the current government. The emphasis remains on strengthening support for schools and expanding opportunities for students to engage with Poland’s cultural and historical landscape.
Upcoming public events include a regional rally commemorating local history. The event, involving students and teachers, will traverse a route that touches on important sites linked to regional history. The ministry leadership will attend to recognize participants and reinforce the educational value of such experiences, framing them as practical lessons about the nation’s past and its ongoing story of freedom.
The engagement underscores the belief that learning can happen outside traditional classrooms and that journeys through the country can serve as a living archive for young people.
The content above reflects official statements and planned activities surrounding Poland’s School Voucher program and related education policies.