The meeting took place at the presidential palace in Warsaw at the request of four MPs from the opposition Civic Coalition (KO) grouping, Kinga Gajewska, Barbara Nowacka, Katarzyna Lubnauer and Krystyna Szumilas, the state PAP news agency reported.
At a news briefing afterwards, Szumilas, a former education minister, said the first lady, who is a teacher by professional background, wondered about the likely impact of various provisions of the bill, which was passed by the lower house of Poland's parliament earlier this month.
“And eventually she agreed with us that these provisions are dangerous for Polish schools,” Szumilas said, arguing that the bill "may make schools off-limits to nongovernmental organisations, while the school supervisors' role in appointing and dismissing school principals is also too big and may harm Polish schools and their pupils.”
Szumilas added that “it’s very promising that the first lady looks at schools through the eyes of a teacher, someone who used to work in a school and who can be our ally as we work to reject this draft legislation.”
Gajewska told reporters that the first lady “promised to discuss the bill with her husband, the president, and present our case.”
Agata Kornhauser-Duda. Photo: prezydent.pl
Under the new education bill, the powers of government-appointed school supervisors would be extended in a variety of ways.
Among other changes, supervisors would be able to move for the dismissal of school principals failing to follow instructions, the PAP news agency reported.
In addition, any extracurricular activities run by NGOs in schools would require approval from school supervisors.
Opposition lawmakers have voiced concern that the bill could also permit unwarranted transfer of teachers’ personal information between various databases.
Critics have warned the new regulations could give Poland's governing Law and Justice (PiS) party greater control over schools, while restricting access to teaching on LGBT and reproductive rights.
Poland’s ruling conservatives have said the proposed changes in the education system are necessary to protect children.
According to Education Minister Przemysław Czarnek, the new rules aim to strengthen "the right of parents to bring up children in line with their own worldview" and are designed to help "protect children against depravity."
(pm/gs)
Source: PAP, prezydent.pl