Students will still have to wait for their rights advocates in schools. Sejm passed the law

The Polish Sejm has approved a new bill aimed at enhancing the protection of student rights and standardizing regulations within the educational system. The legislation, titled the "Law on Student Rights and Obligations," codifies a comprehensive list of student rights and responsibilities, along with a framework for disciplinary actions and educational interventions.

The new law emphasizes pedagogical measures, such as verbal remarks, written reports on behavior, and written agreements with students, as the primary approach to addressing student conduct. It establishes a tiered system for student rights protection. A National Student Rights Ombudsman will be appointed for a four-year term starting September 1, 2026. Following this, regional ombudsmen will be established under provincial education superintendents from January 1, 2027.

While the law allows for voluntary establishment of ombudsman positions at the local government level upon request from youth organizations, the role of school-level ombudsmen will be particularly significant. These ombudsmen, intended to be teachers already involved with student governments, will be tasked with monitoring the observance of student rights, facilitating anonymous reporting of issues, and handling complaints. However, the mandatory implementation of school ombudsmen has been deferred for two years, becoming compulsory only from September 1, 2028. This delay was influenced by concerns from educational trade unions and school director organizations regarding the provision of funds for additional compensation for these roles.

Some educational organizations and unions have expressed reservations about the concept of student rights ombudsmen, suggesting that existing collaborations between teachers, administration, school psychologists, and curators are sufficient for resolving issues. They argue that formal complaint procedures might negatively impact school relationships and the educational community.

Additionally, the law modifies the structure of school councils, making their operation mandatory in all schools from September 1, 2028, with equal representation from students, parents, and teachers. An amendment exempts private schools from this requirement, a change advocated by their operators. The bill also simplifies disciplinary procedures, removing the administrative decision-making regime for most penalties, except for expulsion or transfer to another school. Furthermore, the period for storing information about imposed penalties in student records can be shortened from three years to one year at the request of youth organizations.