Commission of the Polish Episcopate for Catholic Education: Changes in the organization of religious education were introduced without agreement with the Church side
Commission of the Polish Episcopate for Catholic Education has objected to the promulgation of the Decree of the Ministry of Education from July 26, 2024, amending the decree on the conditions and manner of organization of religious education. "The Ministry of Education has not taken into account the opinions and demands presented in meetings by Churches and religious associations" – the Statement emphasizes.
"It is very saddening that the changes were made without the legally required agreement with the Church side," we can read in a statement introduced by the Commission of the Polish Episcopate for Catholic Education in response to the Education Minister's Decree on the organization of religious education. Members of the Commission underlined that the teaching of Catholic religion and other faiths supports the educational role of school, and is an integral part of human education. They also encouraged all the faithful to take action to show the value of religious education at school.
"We thank the Catholic media, religious movements and communities for taking action in defense of religious education. We ask everyone to join the action in defense of religious education at school +YES to religion at school+ undertaken by four Catholic weeklies: Niedziela, Gość Niedzielny, Idziemy and Przewodnik Katolicki – the statement emphasized.
Press Office of the Polish Bishops' Conference
We publish the full text of the statement:
Warsaw, 5.08.2024
Statement of the Commission of the Polish Episcopate for Catholic Education
in connection with the publication of the Decree of the Minister of Education from July 26, 2024,
amending the regulation on the conditions and manner of organizing religious education in public kindergartens and schools
The Commission of the Polish Episcopate for Catholic Education expresses its opposition to the publication of the Decree of the Minister of Education from July 26, 2024, amending the decree on the conditions and manner of organizing religious education in public kindergartens and schools. The proposed changes on combining classes are unfair or even discriminatory. They violate educational law and pedagogical principles. They introduce serious problems in the implementation of the religious education curriculum. It is very sad that the changes were introduced without the legally required agreement with the Church side. The Ministry of Education has not taken into account the opinions and demands presented in meetings by Churches and religious associations.
The Commission of the Polish Episcopate for Catholic Education continues to remind us that the teaching of Catholic and other faiths supports the educational role of the school. It is an integral part of a person's upbringing, serves his or her moral and social development, and is important for learning about one's own history and culture. We encourage all the faithful to take action in various ways to demonstrate this great value of religious education at school. We especially ask Catholic parents to speak out courageously on this issue. We thank the Catholic media, religious movements and communities for taking action in defense of religious education. We ask everyone to join the action in defense of religious education at school "YES to religion at school" undertaken by four Catholic weeklies: „Niedziela”, „Gość Niedzielny”, „Idziemy” and „Przewodnik Katolicki”
Bishop Wojciech Osial
President of the Commission of the Polish Bishops' Conference for Catholic Education
