Starting this school year, all Ukrainian children living in Poland are required to attend school under a new mandate announced by Education Minister Barbara Nowacka.
The move ensures access to a Ukrainian curriculum alongside the Polish one, with penalties for non-compliance including fines and potential loss of social benefits.
Previously, Ukrainian students could opt for distance learning in their homeland or follow a mixed model. However, this change integrates them fully into the Polish education system. Minister Nowacka highlighted that estimates vary widely, from 20,000 to 160,000 Ukrainian children potentially enrolling in Polish schools.
“We really don’t know how many students from Ukraine will end up in Polish schools because this data was never tracked,” Nowacka noted. She added that according to Polish estimates, this number will be between 20,000 and 40,000. “In discussions with the Ukrainian side, numbers as high as 160,000 have been mentioned, but I absolutely don’t believe that,” she said.
Nowacka emphasized the need to monitor the education of Ukraine children, especially for those receiving social benefits.
The decision has drawn some political debate. Former education minister in the conservative government, Przemysław Czarnek, expressed concern about Ukrainian content in Polish schools, arguing against the formation of “Ukrainian schools within Polish schools.”
Nowacka countered by saying that the integration aims to support both academic achievement and social cohesion, ensuring Ukrainian children learn the Polish language, history, and culture while maintaining access to optional lessons in Ukrainian language and heritage.
In addition to mandatory Polish studies, Ukrainian children can voluntarily attend classes in their native language, literature, and history if there are available Ukrainian teachers. The optional courses, funded by the Ukrainian government, aim to preserve their cultural identity while helping them adapt to life in Poland.
“The overall goal is to prevent isolation and ensure Ukrainian children are fully integrated into Polish society while respecting their heritage,” concluded Nowacka.
