In the school year 2024/2025 the Polish educational strategy will face a fresh challenge. About 80 1000 fresh students from Ukraine will join Polish schools. In consequence to this situation, fresh solutions will be introduced, specified as the employment of cultural assistants to facilitate the process of assimilation and learning in Polish schools.
Cultural assistants – a fresh function in Polish schools
Since September 2024, cultural assistants will appear in any Polish schools. They do not request to have teaching or pedagogical qualifications – it is adequate that they have secondary education. Key requirements are cognition of the language and culture of the country of origin of the student and communicative cognition of Polish. Cultural assistants are to support Ukrainian students in the process of adapting to a fresh educational environment, but will not be subject to the Teacher's Charter.
Increased influx of Ukrainian students – facts and figures
According to estimates, as of September 2024 up to 80 1000 fresh students from Ukraine may go to Polish schools. This figure is much higher than previously predicted by the government. For this reason, the authorities decided to increase the limit of children in 1 class.
It is worth noting that from the fresh school year all Ukrainian children surviving in Poland will be subject to the school obligation. Parents who neglect to fulfil this work can anticipate enforcement proceedings and fines of PLN 100. As of June 2025, the failure of the 800+ benefit will be an additional consequence.
Costs of integration of Ukrainian students
The inclusion of thousands of Ukrainian students in the Polish educational strategy entails considerable costs, especially in the context of 3 years of learning Polish. This year and next year, about 3 billion zlotys will be added to the Aid Fund, out of which 600 million zlotys will proceed this year.
Current situation of Ukrainian children in Poland
Currently there are at least 100 000 Ukrainian children from 3 to 18 years of age who are not covered by the educational system. Estimates indicate that this number may even be twice as high. Poland and Ukrainian NGOs call for greater support and coordination of activities aimed at integrating these children into the Polish education system.
Conclusion
The Polish educational strategy faces a large challenge in integrating thousands of Ukrainian students. The introduction of cultural assistants, the increase of student limits in classes and additional backing for learning Polish are steps towards ensuring adequate learning conditions for fresh students. It will be crucial to implement these solutions effectively and to proceed cooperation between Polish and Ukrainian institutions to guarantee the best possible adaptation and education for Ukrainian children in Poland.
Daniel Głogowski
Expert in his field – Publicist, author and social activist. The first articles were published in 1999 for global publishers. For more than 30 years, he has gained his experience through cooperation with the largest editorial offices. In his articles, he seeks to address controversial topics and present first viewpoints that allowed for a deeper knowing of the issues discussed.
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