The Polish government led by Donald Tusk would degrade religion and religious education, which is why the church protested the plans of the left-liberal cabinet in a meeting. In the 2021/2022 academic year, more than 80 percent of students in schools and kindergartens throughout Poland participated in optional lessons.

The Polish Catholic Church opposes the government's proposed reduction in the number of religious classes and also rejects plans to declassify religious classes. The optional classes, which are attended by most students, are held and financed by the public schools, but the teachers and the curriculum are chosen by the Catholic Church, reports the news agency V4na.com in its summary.

The new education minister, Barbara Nowacka, says two hours a week of religious instruction is excessive, as it is more than students receive for other subjects. In December last year, he announced that he wanted to reduce this number to one hour a week.

The Faculty of Bishops' Education Committee expressed deep concern at the proposals, saying it regards access to religious classes in schools as a human right.

"The right of access to religious classes held in a public school building derives from basic human rights, in particular the right to freedom of religion, the right to education and the right of parents to raise their children according to their religious beliefs"

says the statement. The bishops' faculty also stated that changes related to the organization of Catholic teaching in schools must be made in consultation with churches and religious associations, and that the bishop's approval is required to reduce the number of religious classes.

The church also expressed concern that if the number of hours of religious education in schools were reduced, thousands of religious teachers would lose their jobs, which would have an extremely negative impact on their personal lives and the fate of their families. The church also considers the proposal, according to which the practice of including religion and ethics marks in the end-of-year certificate, to be unfair, to end.

"The student must be rewarded for his work, and this reward and appreciation of the student's efforts is expressed in the ticket, which also has a motivational function"

- stated the church. The bishop's faculty emphasized that religious classes instill moral values ​​in students, play a huge educational role, and strongly support the educational role of the school.

"The religion lesson at school has a great cultural value. It helps to understand our culture, which has Christian roots. It also provides cognitive tools for understanding literature and art"

added the church.

In the 2021/2022 academic year, more than 80 percent of students in schools and kindergartens throughout Poland participated in optional lessons. In recent years, however, participation has decreased, especially in big cities; in Warsaw, only 29 percent of high school students chose such classes.

Donald Tusk is doing everything he can to suppress religion

Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed on December 27 that his newly installed coalition will also abolish the state church fund as part of the reforms.

In an interview with OSV News, Warsaw priest Henryk Zielinski said that many Catholics believe that church financial benefits should be decided by society, not by politicians, adding that he believed that taking less and giving less would be a truer expression of liberalism.

Meanwhile, a prominent Catholic historian told OSV News that Tusk's government has already damaged public trust and made church cooperation difficult by breaking the law and acting brutally with the takeover of state media before Christmas.

"Part of the new coalition is ideologically hostile to the church and is now in a strong position to shape politics according to its own priorities"

- He told.

Cover image: Illustration / MTI Photo: Péter Komka