The Ministry of National Education's unexpected decision regarding schools is a true revolution.

• Small schools will be able to serve the needs of local communities. The regulations are intended to be an alternative to school closures.
• The proposals provide for the possibility of carrying out local government units’ own tasks in buildings other than educational ones.
• In particular, tasks related to the care of children under three years of age, senior policy, health care and culture.

The Ministry of National Education announced that on Tuesday the Minister of Education submitted a draft amendment to the Education Law and certain other acts concerning, among others, small schools for inter-ministerial consultations and public consultations.

In the justification for the project, the ministry pointed out that - according to the population forecast of the Central Statistical Office (GUS) for 2023-2060 - the population of Poland will systematically decline.

In 2023, this number was approximately 37.6 million people. According to the Central Statistical Office, the population is expected to decline to 30.9 million by 2060, which means a decrease of 6.7 million people, or approximately 22%.

- he said.

As the Ministry explains, Polish society is an aging society, and the demographic processes that are taking place are affecting or will soon affect the functioning of kindergartens and schools , regardless of whether they are public or private, including their number.

He stressed that maintaining the functioning of public primary schools offering an appropriate level of education, close to the family homes of children fulfilling compulsory schooling , especially children attending grades I-III of primary school, is becoming a problem in the period of demographic changes.

As indicated by the Ministry, citing data from the Central Statistical Office, in urban communes and the urban parts of urban-rural communes , the decrease in the number of youngest children in 2024 compared to 2020 amounted to 22.7%, while in rural communes and the rural parts of urban-rural communes , this decrease amounted to 29.8%.

In turn, the increase in the number of seniors during this period was 9.1% in urban areas and 10.5% in rural areas, respectively.

The Ministry of National Education added that in urban areas the number of youngest children decreased from 621,300 in 2020 to 480,400 in 2024.

Among preschool-age children (3-6 years old), these areas also saw a 9.2% decline (from 885,100 in 2020 to 803,500 in 2024). The number of people aged 65 and over increased from 4.6 million to 5.0 million during this time.

In the draft amendment, the ministry has proposed solutions aimed at introducing regulations that will allow for the adaptation of education at the primary school level to demographic changes, while protecting - wherever possible - safe places for children's education - primary schools - located close to the family home.

According to the project's assumptions, these spaces, primarily after compulsory school hours, can be used to meet the needs of the local community, other than the educational needs of children . The project's goal is to introduce regulations that provide an alternative to closing a small primary school.

- we read in the justification for the project.

The proposals provide for the possibility of implementing - in the unused part of the educational building - other than educational tasks of local government units, in particular those related to the care of children up to three years of age, senior policy, health care and culture.

However, these tasks cannot negatively impact the provision of appropriate conditions for the functioning of a kindergarten, school or other facility, including safe and hygienic conditions for learning, upbringing and care.

The Ministry stated that these regulations will enable municipalities to, on the one hand, guarantee younger children education in grades I-III in a school as close to home as possible, even in the event of a low number of students.

On the other hand, they will make it possible to provide students of grades IV-VIII of primary school with appropriate quality education in a school employing qualified teachers teaching in well-equipped subject laboratories.

The solutions will also benefit teachers who are currently employed in many schools , conducting several hours of classes a week in each of them.

Employing a teacher full-time in one school not only allows for a fuller use of their potential for the benefit of students, but also provides the opportunity to fully benefit from privileges such as: employment based on appointment, taking sick leave or paid leave for further education or unpaid leave for scientific, educational, artistic or other important reasons.

- argues the ministry.

The Ministry emphasized that the draft law assumes, among other things , maintaining access to education close to children's place of residence, especially in rural areas and small towns, using unused parts of educational buildings as social and cultural centers supporting the development of the local community, facilitating the organization and management of the school network through the flexible creation of school complexes, branch schools and combined classes , and introducing solutions supporting bilingual teaching.

In addition: deregulation of procedures related to the functioning of local government education, clarification of regulations governing the care function of schools, in the scope of after-school care and the provision of school meals, introduction of solutions aimed at protecting the rights of parents and students, increasing transparency and participation of the local community in decisions on the functioning of public and private schools.