Roman Giertych admits to errors during tenure as Education Minister

Roman Giertych, a member of the Civic Coalition, has issued a retrospective critique of his tenure as Poland's Minister of National Education (May 2006 – August 2007). In response to recent media coverage regarding his political career, Giertych admitted to several significant errors during his leadership of the ministry.

He acknowledged using “the language of exclusion and ideological fanaticism,” which created the impression that he intended to turn the ministry into a “bastion of conservatism.” He specifically identified several failed policy implementations, including the amnesty for high school graduation exams (matura), the introduction of school uniforms, the inclusion of religious studies grades in student averages, and the controversial changes to the required reading lists.

Despite these admissions, Giertych defended certain initiatives that remain in place, such as the mandatory mathematics graduation exam, granting teachers the status of public officials, strengthening parent councils, reducing bureaucracy, and combating school violence.