In March 2024, the Ministry of National Education introduced an amendment to the regulation stipulating that grades in religion and ethics are not included in the average of annual and final classification grades.
The regulation, published in the Journal of Laws, came into force in all educational institutions in Poland. However, in May of the same year, the Constitutional Tribunal ruled that the provision in question was incompatible with the Constitution of the Republic of Poland. This situation caused some legal uncertainty regarding the status of grades in religion and ethics when calculating students’ grade averages.
However, school principals are directly subject to the pedagogical supervision exercised by the ministry and the education superintendent’s office, and this is what determines their actions regarding grades on report cards.
These are not the only changes in this matter. According to information provided by the Polish Press Agency (PAP), parish catechesis will be renewed from September 2026. As Bishop Artur Ważny announced, it will be given a new form. From September 2026, catechesis in parishes will be organized for children, young people and adults. This is a consequence of the Ministry of National Education’s decision to reduce the number of religion classes at schools.
Is this the end of religion classes in secular schools? We are asking you about it in our poll.