President Andrzej Duda by Jakub Szymczuk & Adobe Photoshop / Wikimedia Commons (Left), Classroom via Adobe Stock (Right)
CV NEWS FEED // Polish President Andrzej Duda has voiced strong opposition to the government’s efforts to reduce and restructure Catholic catechism classes in public schools, arguing that such a move would strip away a fundamental aspect of Polish identity.
According to a report from Notes from Poland, the president made his remarks at the Jasna Góra monastery in Częstochowa, where he addressed people gathered for a harvest festival.
Duda emphasized the importance of religious education in shaping Polish culture and identity. He cited religion’s historical role in sustaining the nation during challenging periods.
“When someone tries to take this away from us, they are also taking away an important, inalienable part of Polishness that we can never give up,” the president said.
Notes from Poland reported that the Catholic catechism classes in the public education system, while optional, have long been a staple in Polish schools. The ruling coalition in Poland that assumed office last December has introduced proposals to significantly reduce the time allocated to these classes and to make other structural changes, such as altering how grades from these classes are factored into students’ overall academic performance. The Catholic Church has criticized these changes.
