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Poland’s Bold Education Reform Puts Faith and Tradition First

Conservative leaders want to replace progressive models with religion, discipline, and classical learning. Will Poland’s schools embrace this radical vision?

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2 min read
In the foreground of this poster, there is some text written on a wall as " MCCOMB HIGH SCHOOL" on...
In the foreground of this poster, there is some text written on a wall as " MCCOMB HIGH SCHOOL" on it. In the background, there are plants, trees, a pole, building, sky and the cloud.

Poland’s Bold Education Reform Puts Faith and Tradition First

A sweeping education reform has been proposed in Poland by conservative MPs, legal experts, and NGOs linked to the Law and Justice (PiS) party. The plan, presented in Warsaw this year, aims to reshape schooling by centring Polish language, Christian values, and classical traditions at the heart of learning.

The draft, backed by figures like former prime minister Beata Szydło and allies of justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro, frames itself as a civilizational manifesto for Poland’s future.

The reform places the Polish language at the core of education. It would serve as the foundation for structured thinking and cultural identity, reinforcing a sense of belonging among students.

Religion, particularly Christianity, is treated as Europe’s cultural bedrock. The proposal mandates two hours of weekly religious education across all school stages—not as indoctrination, but as a way to pass on what it calls a 'civilizational legacy'. This reflects a broader European debate, with parallels in Hungary and other nations questioning modern secular education models.

Traditional authority and discipline would replace what the reformers label a 'democratic' approach to schooling. Standardised testing would be scaled back in favour of qualitative assessments, ending what the draft terms the 'tyranny of testing'. The plan also warns against the overuse of digital technology, insisting it should support—not replace—teachers and students.

Inspired by the classical paideia tradition, the reform revives the trivium (grammar, logic, rhetoric) and quadrivium (arithmetic, geometry, music, astronomy). Its goal is to cultivate 'free and noble persons' by blending Christian ethics, national heritage, and classical learning.

The Ordo Iuris proposal marks a deliberate shift from progressive education models. If adopted, it would embed religious instruction, Polish cultural identity, and classical disciplines into every level of schooling.

The reform’s backers argue it will preserve Europe’s Christian roots while fostering intellectual rigour. Its fate now rests with policymakers and the public response in Poland.

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