Ministry of Education's new plan: Will students have their ombudsman?
Students' rights in Poland are frequently violated. The Ministry of Education (MEN) is aware of these issues and is contemplating the establishment of an institution dedicated to upholding the rights of children and young people in schools.
Everyone has heard that the teacher is always right or similar assertions. In a report published last year, the Dead Statutes Association found that over 80% of students believe their rights are violated. Survey respondents also highlighted the presence of unlawful provisions in school statutes.
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The Dead Statutes Association draws attention to a significant problem
Lukasz Korzeniowski of the Dead Statutes Association stated in an interview with Gazeta Wyborcza, "We receive ten to fifteen reports from students weekly, amounting to 700 to 800 annually."
The complaints and appeals have also reached the Ministry of Education, which is now considering appointing a new official to uphold students' rights.
Kacper Lawera, director of the ministry's communications department, reveals that the initiative is still in its preliminary stages: "Minister Barbara Nowacka will decide on the final form, and in September, we will announce our proposals for broad public consultation, likely in electronic form. Subsequently, a document will be drafted to amend the Education Law."
Lawera also explained that it is currently unclear whether the Student Rights Ombudsman will be a separate entity or a proxy of the Education Minister.
MEN to appoint a Student Rights Ombudsman
Lukasz Korzeniowski of the Dead Statutes Association is a ministerial team member for student rights and responsibilities, including representatives from various NGOs. The teamās task is to develop a plan for establishing a Student Rights Ombudsman.
"We would like the ombudsman to be able to actively advocate for students and prevent violations of their rights, not merely issue soft guidelines and recommendations. What tools should the ombudsman have? Those currently available to school superintendents need to be more effective. A Student Rights Ombudsman could, for instance, issue post-inspection recommendations, order the removal of violations, and control school statutes," Korzeniowski stated in an interview with Gazeta Wyborcza.
Kacper Lawera added, "We aim to create a system. The mediation aspect may be stronger at the school level, and at the provincial level, it will focus on pedagogical supervision. For now, we are discussing and trying to find the most optimal solution."
Source: Gazeta Wyborcza
