Poland’s Education Solidarity union criticizes government education reform, claiming it forces teachers into inappropriate psychological roles.
Harsh Critique of Education Reform
The National Secretariat of Science and Education of the Independent Self-Governing Trade Union “Solidarity” has issued a devastating opinion on the draft regulation of the Ministry of National Education regarding the core curriculum for kindergartens and primary schools.
According to union members, the proposed changes are not just a minor correction but a “new, dangerous concept of school functioning.” The biggest concern is the imposition on teachers of obligations related to students’ well-being, mental resilience, and self-regulation.
Dangerous Role Shift
Union members warn that the project shifts the role of the educator toward a personal development coach or quasi-psychologist. “Is a teacher a psychologist?” they ask, highlighting what they see as “dangerous blurring of boundaries” between education and therapy.
Scandalous Procedure
“Solidarity” has criticized the “scandalous procedure” of only allowing 7 days for consultations on such an important document. They’ve filed an official complaint with the Prime Minister against the way the Ministry of Education is processing the changes, calling it a “pretense of social dialogue.”
Consequences and Demands
If the project enters into force in its current form, the union warns that schools could become places of “permanent activism” where the actual teaching program takes a back seat, and burdened teachers may leave the profession en masse.
“Solidarity” is demanding the complete withdrawal of the project and the start of serious work on legislative changes that will take into account the actual funding and working time of teachers.
