With the start of the new school year, Polish schools can officially teach Ukrainian as a second foreign language. The course is intended for students in grades 7-8 and was developed with the support of the Embassy of Ukraine in Poland.
The introduction of the subject will take place in accordance with the current Polish legislation – on the initiative of parents, the availability of a suitable teacher, as well as the consent of the school administration and local educational authorities.
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Back in March 2025, the Ukrainian embassy called on parents to apply to educational institutions to introduce the Ukrainian language. Traditionally, English remains the first foreign language in Polish schools, and each school chooses the second language independently, in consultation with students’ families.
Interest in the Ukrainian language is growing along with the number of children from Ukraine studying in Poland. During the 2023/2024 school year, there were more than 132,000 such students, which is about 2.6% of the total number of students. As of September 2024, the number has increased to 151,816.
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Currently, Poland is home to 2.5 to 2.8 million migrants, about 75% of whom are Ukrainians. The inclusion of Ukrainian in the school curriculum is a logical step in response to the changing demographic situation and integration challenges.
Materials for teaching the Ukrainian language are available online for free. This is an important step towards integrating the Ukrainian community in Poland and supporting the native language of children studying abroad.
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