The “Education with the Military” program, now in its third year, is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of National Defense. According to Education Minister Barbara Nowacka, who unveiled the plan, last year’s edition reached 100,000 pupils; this time organizers expect to train a further 100,000 children.
“Polish youth need support and resilience-building,” Minister Nowacka told reporters. “This project delivers essential knowledge directly from soldiers, the most credible source for matters of security and defense.”
Under the scheme, military instructors will visit schools—both in classrooms and on school grounds such as sports fields and courtyards—to lead age-tailored sessions on:
- Crisis preparedness: how to stay safe and respond when emergencies strike;
- Countering disinformation and cyberattacks: recognizing and defending against malicious online influence;
- Packing an emergency backpack: selecting and organizing essential items for evacuation or shelter-in-place scenarios;
- Reacting to alarm signals: understanding sirens and alerts, and knowing evacuation procedures;
- First aid: basic life-saving techniques, from treating wounds to performing CPR.
“The aim is to raise awareness of security and defense issues among young Poles and to instill a sense of responsibility for their own and their country’s safety,” Nowacka said.
The program, launched in 2023, has so far been adopted by dozens of regions and illustrates the government’s broader effort to strengthen civilian and military cooperation in the face of evolving security challenges in Europe.
(jh)
Source: Polskie Radio 24