The Ministry of National Education and the Polish Episcopal Conference have different positions on changes to religious education classes in schools. The government plans to limit them to one hour per week, according to Salon24, while the Church wants more and is now taking legal action.
Polish Minister of Education Barbara Nowacka says the organization of religious education classes is a ministry competency, just as the Church decides on the form of services. The government is introducing changes to improve the organization of classes and avoid situations in which students who do not attend religious education classes have long breaks in their schedule.
According to Nowacka, reducing the number of hours will also bring savings of around PLN 1.5 billion per year.
The minister emphasizes that schools can cooperate with the Church in organizing additional classes outside educational institutions. She also emphasizes that numerous talks have been held with representatives of the Church, but the lack of agreement has led to the government implementing its plan.
The Episcopate opposes the new regulations, considering them a violation of previous arrangements and arguing that reducing the number of hours of religion will limit students’ access to religious education. Archbishop Józef Kupny announced that the Church will ask international institutions and the Constitutional Tribunal to examine the compliance of the regulation with the law.
The clergy point out that the agreements between the state and the Church provide for religious education in schools, and the changes introduced without consultation undermine these arrangements.
The Episcopate has filed a petition to the Supreme Court to apply to the Constitutional Tribunal on the legality of the regulation. The Constitutional Tribunal had previously ruled that other regulations concerning the organization of religion in schools were unconstitutional, but the government did not recognize that ruling.
The dispute between the government and the Church continues, and there is no prospect of a quick agreement. The government justifies its actions with the rationalization of the education system, while the Church fears limiting its influence on the religious education of young people.
