Poland is implementing a significant educational reform starting in September 2025, aiming to equip students with adaptability and resilience for a changing world. Key changes include the introduction of mandatory civic education for secondary school students, designed to foster active citizenship through an understanding of democratic values and community responsibility. Health education will also become a compulsory subject for all students, covering crucial aspects of well-being such as healthy lifestyles, mental and social health, puberty, sexual health, and addiction prevention. Parents will have the option to opt out of health education via written notification.
Physical education is being enhanced to build resilience and preparedness, incorporating elements related to uniformed services and civil defense, with a focus on endurance and basic physical conditioning. Mandatory fitness assessments will be introduced for younger primary students, with an optional module for older students. The 2025/2026 academic year is scheduled to begin on September 1, 2025, and conclude on June 26, 2026. The winter holiday period will be from December 22 to December 31, 2025, and the spring break will be from April 2 to April 7, 2026.
A new functional assessment framework is being established for students with autism, sensory disorders, and intellectual disabilities, emphasizing personalized learning, autonomy, and social competencies. To bolster support networks, measures are being introduced to facilitate the employment of specialists like psychologists and speech therapists in non-public educational settings, with extended contracts planned as a temporary measure until August 2027. The reform also includes a strategic streamlining of the core curriculum, reducing content by approximately 20% to allow for deeper engagement with subjects and a greater emphasis on practical skills. New core curricula for early primary grades are planned for September 2026, with secondary school curricula to follow by September 2027.