The 2025/2026 school year will be unlike any other. Major changes will take place on September 1st.
- The new school year 2025/2026 will bring a lot of changes thanks to the Ministry of National Education
- Among them, we can list, for example, religion will be held only once a week, and new subjects will be introduced (health education and civic education).
- The core curriculum of physical education will also change.
- Changes to the winter break schedule: instead of the current four, there will be three dates
As "Fakt" reminds us, starting in September 2025, religious education classes in schools will be held only once a week, and only immediately before or after students' compulsory classes. However, this rule will not apply to those primary school classes where, as of September 15th, all students will be attending a religion or ethics class.
Moreover, if fewer than seven students are enrolled in religion classes in grades I-III, the school will be able to organize classes in inter-grade groups. If religious education takes place outside of school, the same rules for grouping students that apply at school can be applied.
The Ministry of National Education is also introducing two new subjects from the 2025/2026 school year:
- civic education – a compulsory subject in high schools, technical schools and vocational schools, which is intended to help young people understand what democracy, patriotism and responsibility for the community are;
- health education – will replace family life education and will be available in both primary schools (grades 4-8) and secondary schools.
The new physical education program introduces new elements to the curriculum, including endurance runs, push-ups, long jumps, and basic self-defense. This fact clarifies that for grades 1-3 of primary school, physical fitness tests will also be mandatory in each class.
In the case of grades VII-VIII of primary school, the PE core curriculum includes an optional section enabling familiarization with exercises used during recruitment to uniformed services.
Moreover, as Fakt mentions, schools will be able to create sports classes with fewer students (minimum 14, not 20). However, consent from the school's governing body, usually the local government, will be a necessary condition.
The changes also include an expansion of the list of individuals authorized to issue an opinion on a student's inability to continue sports training. Previously, this opinion could be issued by a coach, instructor, or doctor, but starting in the new school year, a physical education teacher will join this group.
A new feature in the upcoming school year will be three winter break dates instead of the previous four:
- from January 19 to February 1 – voivodeships: Pomeranian, Warmian-Masurian, Podlaskie, Masovian, Świętokrzyskie;
- from February 2 to 15 – voivodeships: West Pomeranian, Kuyavian-Pomeranian, Łódź, Lower Silesian, Opole, Lesser Poland;
- from February 16 to March 1 – voivodeships: Lubusz, Greater Poland, Silesian, Lublin, Subcarpathian.
At the same time, "Fakt" reminds us that, as of September 1, 2022, then-Minister of Education and Science Przemysław Czarnek introduced teacher availability hours. This is one hour per week designated for teachers to conduct consultations with students or their parents, and starting in September of this year, these "black hours" will be abolished.
"Fakt" emphasizes that starting in 2025, a so-called functional assessment will be introduced for students with autism, sensory impairments, and intellectual disabilities. This assessment will take into account the individual needs and capabilities of each student. The assessment will be made by the teacher in collaboration with a psychologist and the student's parents.
Under the new regulations, hiring psychologists, pedagogues, and speech therapists will be easier, but only in private institutions. The regulations will allow specialist teachers to enter into other forms of contracts with a broader scope (from 4 to 9 hours per week).
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