Poland: Teachers to protest controversial education reform September 4

Event

According to local media, teachers and parents are set to stage a protest in front of the Ministry of Education in Warsaw on Monday, September 4 - the first day of the school year - to protest a new education reform spearheaded by Poland’s national-conservative government. The reform would abolish the middle school system, effectively closing down some 7000 schools and dismissing some 9000 teachers, and implement a new curricula focused on domestic issues.

Parents and teachers’ unions have already collected over one million signatures to force a referendum on the proposed reform. However, this request has been firmly rejected by the Polish parliament, which plans to implement the reform within ten months.

Advice

Individuals in Warsaw are advised to avoid all protests as a precaution.