Compulsory education for Ukrainian children: what does it mean for Polish schools?
– These are not huge numbers. It’s not like we have some disorder in our education system here. – said the vice-minister. She added that most local government officials she met told her that only single Ukrainian children were enrolled in schools.
She said the process is monitored by the Ministry of National Education in cooperation with local governments, non-governmental and charitable organizations. – Everything that could be done to prepare for this process has been done, but we will continue to monitor its implementation on an ongoing basis. – she announced.
800+ as a condition for enrolling a child in school: new regulations
Mucha reported that before the holidays, 134 thousand students attended Polish schools. Ukrainian children. A certain group avoided compulsory schooling for four years and “it is our duty” to correct this situation.
– We are introducing compulsory schooling for Ukrainian children. What’s more, we are combining this school obligation with a fee of PLN 800 plus – she said. In her opinion, this will make using the benefit more realistic. – We are convinced that some parents receive an additional PLN 800 for Ukrainian children who do not live in Poland – she added.
– If the child has not been enrolled in a Polish school since September, you will simply have to reimburse an additional 800 PLN.who received – Mucha announced.
The vice minister recalled the penalties for those who avoid school. – Failure to comply with compulsory school attendance will be punished in the same way in the case of Ukrainian children and in the same way in the case of Polish children. – she explained.
She said that Ukrainian children will study with Polish children, teachers and according to the Polish curriculum. Once a week – on Saturdays – they will be able to attend supplementary classes. The Ukrainian government will be responsible for the organization and curriculum of these classes.
– We will also review the curriculum because we have a joint committee that evaluates the history and geography curriculum.. We will ask the committee to evaluate this curriculum. We do not have it yet. It will definitely not start in September. – said Mucha.
What history and geography are taught to Ukrainian children in Poland?
She recalled that Polish children abroad also have the right to learn the Polish curriculum on Saturdays. – she added – the Ukrainian government will pay teachers who work with Ukrainian children on Saturdays, while the Polish side will provide classrooms. She recalled that in Polish education law “there is an obligation for the Polish state to provide this space free of charge in such situations”.
Mucha believes that the situation of Ukrainian Roma, who are also subject to compulsory education, will be a challenge.
According to the deputy minister, new Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure may occur in autumn and winter, and more refugees with children may arrive in Poland at that time. “Polish schools must be prepared to receive them. We have no idea how big this group is,” he admitted.
She said that the content of Fr. Volhynia Massacre agreed by a joint Ukrainian-Polish expert commission on improving the content of school history and geography textbooks.
Making the payment of benefits for more than 800 dependents on the fulfillment of compulsory education by Ukrainian children was introduced by the recent amendment to the Law on Assistance to Citizens of Ukraine in connection with an armed conflict on the territory of this country.
