Poland Finalizes Mandatory AI Literacy Program for Schools

The Polish Ministry of National Education (MEN), as confirmed by Deputy Minister Katarzyna Lubnauer on January 5, 2026, is finalizing plans to mandate Artificial Intelligence (AI) literacy education across primary and secondary schools. This strategic initiative is a direct response to the rapid advancement of AI technology and the pressing need to equip younger generations with a critical understanding of the evolving digital landscape.

The primary objective of the program is to foster student awareness regarding the potential threats posed by AI, particularly in the context of increasingly sophisticated and widespread disinformation. This AI literacy curriculum is integrated into the broader ZBADAI program, a substantial collaboration between MEN and the Copernicus Science Centre (CNK). The ZBADAI program commenced in late 2025 and is scheduled to run until June 2028, signaling the government's medium-term commitment to enhancing digital competencies.

The official launch of ZBADAI in December 2025 involved 200 educational institutions, 930 educators, and approximately 13,000 students participating in applied research projects. Each participating school established a core team of two teachers and at least 15 students, guided by experts from CNK throughout a full semester project. The focus centered on empowering educators with effective pedagogical tools to introduce AI concepts while cultivating digital competence, cognitive curiosity, and, crucially, critical thinking skills when encountering AI-generated content.

To ensure educator readiness, teachers are required to complete a five-week guided AI course via the Integrated Educational Platform (ZPE). The curriculum covers AI system fundamentals, prompt engineering techniques, data analysis, AI-driven multimedia creation, practical classroom applications, and an in-depth review of ethical and legal issues related to AI utilization. Furthermore, participating teachers will design learning scenarios during workshops, which, upon project completion, are slated for publication on the ZPE, potentially reaching up to six million users.

MEN's emphasis on practical skill development aligns with the broader educational reform vision, known as 'Kompas Jutra' or 'Reforma26.' This reform prioritizes creating future-oriented schools by emphasizing key competencies over rote memorization. Additionally, a mandate within Poland's National Recovery Plan requires equipping 12,000 schools with AI laboratories by 2026. These modern AI labs will feature AI PCs utilizing Intel Core Ultra processors with integrated Neural Processing Units (NPU) for local AI task processing, aiming to enhance data privacy and energy efficiency.

The role of the teacher is evolving from a mere content deliverer to a digital facilitator and agent of digital literacy, tasked with guiding students in the wise and critical use of technology—a facet heavily stressed within the ZBADAI program. The initiative explicitly seeks to transform schools from centers of knowledge acquisition into hubs for critical thinking and data analysis development, positioning AI as a tool supporting students' cognitive independence.