Translated by Milo Dvorak
22. 1. 2023
Business Newsletter #1
Source: Refresher News
Polish Minister of Education Barbara Nowacka announced the abolition of homework for primary school students. The change, fulfilling the pre-election promises of her party, will come into effect at the beginning of April, and the minister also intends to extend the reforms to secondary schools.
Nowacka, who took office last month, aims not only to eliminate homework but also to shorten the curriculum and focus more on critical thinking rather than rote memorisation. She also promises higher salaries for teachers, as reported by the Notes From Poland website.
"It is necessary to move away from mandatory and graded homework. Such a regulation will be in effect from the beginning of April," said the minister in an interview with the news website Wirtualna Polska. Prime Minister Donald Tusk later reiterated the statement in a video on social media.
Among those criticising Nowacka's ideas is former Minister of Education Anna Zalewska from the conservative opposition party Law and Justice (PiS). "Abolishing homework will limit the freedom of teachers to choose teaching methods and will not prepare students for the reality of the job market," she stated.