Recent Legal Changes in the Organization of Religious Education in Polish Schools

In many educational systems within democratic countries, curricula typically include both values education and religious instruction. The reintroduction of confessional religious education into Polish schools in 1990 — and, more significantly, subsequent legal changes governing religious instruction — have consistently generated a range of responses, from strong support to public dissatisfaction and criticism from various groups. Legislative reforms introduced since 2024 have substantially modified the legal framework surrounding religious education. The manner in which these changes have been implemented has provoked considerable concern and resistance in multiple sectors of society. This study analyzes the key aspects of these legal changes: the incorporation of religious education into the national curriculum framework; the removal of religion/ethics grades from the overall grade point average; the authorization to merge religious education classes across different age groups and grade levels; and the reduction of religious instruction from two hours to one hour per week.