Barbara Nowacka, the Minister for Education in Donald Tusk's third government, spearheads significant reforms. As a Civic Platform MP, feminist, and activist for women's and LGBT rights, Nowacka assumed her role in December 2023, succeeding Minister Przemysław Czarnek.

Czarnek's tenure left a controversial legacy, notably by introducing the subject "History and the Present," which was criticised as propaganda for the United Right government. Given the extensive reforms needed, Nowacka's appointment was met with anticipation.

Since taking office, Nowacka has implemented numerous changes, drawing criticism primarily from right-wing circles. Her initiatives include reducing the number of weekly religion lessons, streamlining the core curriculum, introducing compulsory first aid classes, and advocating for comprehensive health education in schools.

On Saturday, 6 July, Nowacka engaged with attendees at the Open'er Festival, discussing her plans and reaffirming her commitment to overhauling the education system.

Barbara Nowacka, the Minister of Education, engaged with participants at the Open'er Festival to discuss the pressing issue of hate speech in schools. The Civic Platform MP highlighted the detrimental impact of hate speech on pupils and emphasised the importance of educating children from a young age on the consequences of their words.

Nowacka cited several initiatives the Ministry of Education launched to tackle this issue. "For instance, we have a competition for schools to join the PYP programme, which includes peer support in crises. One of the key elements is building peer resilience against hate speech. Additionally, integrating resilience to online attacks and hate speech into the state's cybersecurity and education policies is crucial. Teaching students how to respond to such incidents is essential. Embedding these concepts in the curriculum and providing a foundation for teachers will be a significant step forward," Nowacka explained.

From 1 September 2025, health education will become a part of the school curriculum. Nowacka stressed that these classes will cover topics such as hate speech and its impact. "Cybersecurity will be a critical component of health education. Digital hygiene, which includes countering hate speech, is vital because online hate speech is more pervasive and harmful than it was 20-30 years ago. It is persistent, highly public, and widespread," she added.

Source: radiozet.pl