Minister of Education Barbara Nowacka stated on Radio ZET that recent data shows 39,000 children from Ukraine have entered the education system this school year after having previously accessed education in Poland.
“These are children who were in Poland but were not attending school,” explained the head of the education ministry.
Following the introduction of this connection, a decline in the disbursement of the 800 Plus benefit was observed, which the minister attributed to inefficient management of public funds by her predecessors.
“Our predecessors did not ensure that public money was well allocated. Those who benefited from it often no longer lived in Poland,” emphasized Nowacka.
In the first half of September, the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) paid the 800 Plus benefit to nearly 247,000 children of Ukrainian refugees, which marks a decrease compared to previous years.
Starting September 1, 2024, children from Ukraine in Poland are subject to mandatory education, including a year of preschool preparation and compulsory schooling. Families from Ukraine can receive the 800 Plus benefit and the Good Start benefit, provided their children attend Polish schools.
However, there is an exception: in the 2024/2025 school year, students in the highest grade of the Ukrainian education system will not be required to attend Polish schools and may continue their education online.
As reported earlier by Radio Poland, the Ministry of National Education expected that the number of additional students from Ukraine who have enrolled in Polish schools since the beginning of September would be twice as high.
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Source: PAP/Radio ZET
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