Barbara Nowacka: State will not finance additional religion classes organized by local governments

The head of the Ministry of National Education, Barbara Nowacka, has taken a firm stance on the financing of religion classes in public schools. According to new guidelines effective September 1, 2025, the scope of religion or ethics classes funded from the state budget will be limited to one hour per week. Some local governments, responding to these changes, have declared their intention to maintain the previous two-hour scope, financing the extra lesson from their own funds. However, Minister Nowacka has cut off speculation about possible targeted compensation for these entities, stating plainly that there is no room for such monetary transfers. The presence of religion in Polish schools is regulated by the Concordat of 1993 and ministerial regulations, which until recently assumed two weekly class hours paid from the central budget. During a series of media appearances, the minister also addressed other key educational issues. She upheld the decision on no mandatory homework in primary schools, arguing that the previous form of doing homework has lost significance, and teachers are effectively replacing it with more frequent in-class knowledge checks. Nowacka rejected the thesis that this change has led to an increase in the popularity of tutoring. In an economic context, the head of the Ministry of National Education mentioned plans to link teachers' salaries to macroeconomic indicators, which would ensure wage stability in the education sector. The topic of education superintendents was also raised; their role in the process of closing small schools will remain crucial, despite announced facilitations for municipalities trying to save facilities from closure. „There is one religion lesson, and if someone wants to finance additional classes, that is their free decision, and they bear financial responsibility for it.” — Barbara Nowacka The education ministry is currently focused on implementing a new subject – health education, which is to replace family life education. These changes, alongside the reduction of religion hours, are part of a broader reform aimed at lightening students' class schedules and adapting curricula to contemporary social challenges. The minister emphasized that local governments have the right to their own educational policy, but within the limits of their own budgets, without the possibility of shifting the costs of additional projects to the government level. Changes in the organization of religion lessons: : → ; : → Emphasizes the right to secularity of schools and the need to rationalize budget expenditures in the era of curriculum reform. | Highlights the blow to the rights of parents and local governments and the risk of discrimination against students participating in religion lessons.