Delegates of the Polish Episcopal Conference met with the representation of the Ministry of Education to present their opposition to changes in the rules of organization of spiritual lessons which Barbara Nowacka decided unilaterally. The Hierarchs conveyed their objections to the ministry's design. As the clergy indicated, akin changes require a bilateral agreement of secular and ecclesiastical power.
The gathering was held on Wednesday 9 October, as the church page stated. According to the press office of KEP, the state delegation during the gathering was chaired by Deputy Minister of Education Katarzyna Lubnauer, and ecclesiastical – president of the Committee on Education of KEP bishop Wojciech Osial and representing the Greek Catholic Church Bishop Arkadiusz Trochanowski.
PAP asked MEN to comment. The spokesperson for the ministry, Piotr Otrębski, confirmed that a consultation gathering with representatives of churches and spiritual unions was held at the ministry.
"The State Secretary Katarzyna Lubnauer presented proposals to amend the provisions contained in the draft Regulation of the Minister of Education amending the regulation on the conditions and manner of organising the learning of religion in public kindergartens and schools, which was addressed to interministerial arrangements and public consultation on 1 October. The social organization submitted its comments on the draft regulation," Otrębski reported.
MEN's proposals include a simplification in the number of spiritual lessons to 1 per week, which would besides take place before or after compulsory education. Currently, spiritual learning in public schools is optional and takes place in 2 lessons per week. The proposed changes are in the course of government consultations. From the school year 2024/2025, the assessment of religion and ethics on the school certificate under the current regulation will besides not be included in the yearly average.
"The ecclesiastical organization presented its opposition and doubts regarding the draft amendment to this regulation, in peculiar the simplification of the number of spiritual hours at all levels of school education by half, as well as the resignation of the concordat evidence in the regulation, which states that spiritual lessons are held +under the school and pre-school curriculum+ (Article 12, point 1), by replacing it with a rigid regulation that these lessons will take place before or after compulsory educational activities", he stressed in the information provided to PAP.
The Episcopal representatives besides reiterated their doubts about the fresh MEN Regulation already in place, which states that spiritual lessons can take place in combined groups of students at different educational levels. According to the church side, specified solutions have been taken contrary to the Law on the Education strategy and will hinder the exercise of the right of access to spiritual lessons for pupils whose parents (or themselves) wish.
The ecclesiastical side besides stressed that, according to the concordat, the procedure of akin changes requires "agreement of the state side with the authorities of the Church and spiritual unions, not just consultation".
(PAP)/work. FA
