Children of Ukrainian refugees are required to attend schools in Poland
From September of this year, Ukrainian children who suffered losses due to military actions and were forced to seek refuge in Poland will have the obligation to attend local schools.
This news, what made public Deputy Minister of Education of Poland, Joanna Mucha, caused a significant public outcry and singled out the state policy on the integration of immigrant children into the educational environment of the country. According to her, the relevant draft law is already at the final stage of development in the Ministry of Education of Poland. It is planned that the introduction of this initiative will contribute to the successful adaptation of Ukrainian children to the Polish education system, which will be an important step to ensure their future and faster “recovery” in a new environment.
Emphasizing this initiative, it is also planned to introduce Ukrainian language lessons for Ukrainian children. For this purpose, teachers from Ukraine will be invited. This will preserve and develop children’s native language and culture, as well as provide them with the opportunity to successfully adapt to the Polish educational environment. In addition, it is planned to familiarize Ukrainian children with the principles of European integration. The Ministry of Education is confident that this knowledge will be useful for the successful adaptation of children in the context of Poland’s future membership in the European Union.
According to the latest data, as of June last year, about one million Ukrainian refugees were registered in Poland. This step in the field of education is a response to the need to provide decent conditions for the adaptation and education of Ukrainian children who have contributed to the social and cultural life of the country.
However, it is worth noting that on March 1 it became known about the Polish government’s intention to introduce changes to the legislation on assistance to refugees from Ukraine, including the cancellation of funding for meals and accommodation in guest houses for groups of up to ten people. The move has sparked heated debate and concerns about social support for refugees. In addition, on March 14, Polish Ambassador to Ukraine Jarosław Huza stated that the country will not actively support the return of Ukrainian refugees to their homeland, but will not create obstacles for those who decide to return. Such a speech complemented the picture of the complex situation related to refugees from Ukraine.
