To qualify for the Polish government's generous 800+ family benefit, Ukrainian parents must demonstrate that their children attend Polish schools.
Intercultural assistants will help them overcome cultural barriers and will be available in Polish educational institutions from the new school year onward.
Ukrainian students will also benefit from additional Polish- language classes and special provisions for the eighth-grade exam, which will cover only mathematics and a foreign language, with the exam in Polish being optional.
Students in the final year of Ukrainian secondary schools will have the option to complete their education under the Ukrainian system.
Major education reforms: new subjects, enhanced safety
Starting this academic year, Polish schools are rolling out new reading lists, streamlined curricula, and providing intercultural assistants to support Ukrainian students.
Significant changes are also planned for teachers, including the possibility of early retirement under special conditions.
The educational framework will be reduced by about 20 percent for selected subjects, and new lists of reading material will be introduced. Students will also receive new plastic IDs.
The organization of religion classes will be restructured, and a new subject called civic education will replace the current controversial History and Present course.
Additionally, compulsory shooting training will be introduced in secondary schools as part of safety education.
All types of schools and kindergartens will implement new child protection standards and safety regulations to protect children from abuse and neglect, according to officials.
Promoting mental health and well-being
New safety and hygiene regulations will include the availability of menstrual products in school bathrooms.
The Polish education ministry also plans to incorporate more health-related content, including first aid training and principles of physical and mental well-being, with key changes effective from 2026. Until then, these topics will primarily be covered in advisory classes.
As the new school year began in Polish schools on Monday, Education Minister Barbara Nowacka has extended her best wishes to all students.
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Source: IAR/PAP
Click on the audio player above for a report by Radio Poland's Ada Janiszewska.
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