Polish Education Ministry Reaffirms Cross Policy as Bishops Criticise New Health Curriculum

The Ministry of Education and Science (MEN) in Poland answered a parliamentary inquiry, confirming that existing regulations permit the display of crosses in public school classrooms and stating that no legislative changes will be made. The ministry emphasized that the education minister cannot issue binding orders to school principals regarding the placement or removal of religious symbols, leaving any disputes to be handled on a case‑by‑case basis.

Separately, the Polish Episcopal Conference issued an urgent statement condemning the government’s new health education program. Bishops, led by Bishop Wojciech Osial, argued that the curriculum reduces sexual education to a purely medical perspective, excludes the role of marriage and family, and ignores feedback submitted during public consultations. They criticized the ministry for ignoring the bishops’ concerns and called for a broader societal dialogue on the issue.